No Turning Back
by SuN-MoOn-ChiLd
Summary: previously posted on ASMR - darien & serena break up, she goes to america and meets a past love.. currently in the process of writing a new ending to this fic since the original files were lost..
1. One

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I honestly don't own Sailor Moon or any of its characters, even though I wish I did   
  
sometimes. Anyhow, this is a story involving Serena and Darien's break up; and I know   
  
how many of you don't like that idea. I don't either, but hey, it's my story so too bad!  
  
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Main Characters:  
  
Serenity Jacobs  
  
Darien Shields  
  
98 Degrees  
  
  
  
~No Turning Back Now~  
  
This is the story of how my family came to be. My name is Serenity Jacobs, but   
  
everyone calls me Serena for short. Well, everything took place when I was 21 years old   
  
and still in college. Back then I was madly in love with my boyfriend, Darien Shields, a   
  
24-year-old pre-med student. I myself had yet to declare a major, because I was still   
  
unsure of what I wanted to become. This was not the only problem I had; I was also a   
  
Sailor Scout and the Moon Princess. Anyway, this is how my life changed…  
  
~Flash Back~  
  
It was a bright and sunny day out and students were running all over campus   
  
trying to get to classes on time. There was one student in particular that was running   
  
extremely fast. Everyone turned as they saw two streamers of golden hair fly past them.   
  
Yes, that was the one and only, Serena Jacobs. She was captain of both cheerleading and   
  
track teams at Tokyo University. With long blond hair soft as silk and a body as perfect   
  
as the Goddess Aphrodite, Serena Jacobs was the girl every single guy wished they could   
  
have. Only bad thing was that she was dating Darien Shields, the richest guy around   
  
campus. They were the perfect couple according to everyone on campus.  
  
"Hey there cutie!" says Serena sitting down beside Darien in class. She leaned   
  
over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Her face was flushed from all the running she had   
  
done, and to Darien she never looked any better.  
  
"Were you running late again babe?" asked Darien chuckling softly as she smiled   
  
and giggled softly at his question. Class was beginning soon and everyone was starting   
  
to file in to sit down and get ready for lecture.  
  
"Sorry, can't help it honey. You know I have Calculus before this class, and it's   
  
not my fault that the Math building is across campus from the Physics building. Some   
  
people aren't as lucky as to have all their classes nearby." She responded almost pouting   
  
at him. Darien smiled and squeezed Serena's hand before placing a gentle kiss on it,   
  
silently apologizing to her.  
  
"Alright class, let begin lecture!" shouted Professor Lawson as he stepped into the   
  
lecture hall. "Where did we leave off the other day?" he asked looking up to see if   
  
anybody even remembered the lesson he taught the day prior to before.  
  
"Yeah, you were giving us the different equations for our test next week sir!"   
  
shouted Serena as she smiled at the professor. And so that went back and forth for   
  
another hour and thirty minutes before Darien and Serena both left class.  
  
"How about we meet the girls and grab some lunch Sere?" thought Darien as he   
  
took Serena's briefcase and carried it for her to his car. Suddenly there was a distinct   
  
beeping noise that the two were so familiar with. Darien reached into Serena's bag and   
  
took her communicator wristband out for her.  
  
"Moon here, what's up?" responded Serena quietly as they got into Darien's black   
  
beamer and sped off to find the other scouts. Lita's face appeared distraught as they   
  
spoke and yelling could be heard in the background.  
  
"Serena, there's a youma here at the park and two at the mall downtown! Raye,   
  
Mina, and Amy are at the mall holding the youmas back, but I'm alone and need help   
  
fast!" replied Lita as she jumped out of the way as a youma came barreling at her. Serena   
  
turned and told Darien to stop at a nearby alleyway so they could both transform.  
  
"Serena, I'll go help Sailor Jupiter, I think you should go help Mercury, Mars and   
  
Venus with those two youmas at the mall!" shouted Tuxedo Mask as soon as he noticed   
  
that Serena has already transformed into Sailor Moon.  
  
"Got it, I'm on my way! Just make sure you and Lita don't get hurt okay?!"   
  
yelled Sailor Moon as she leapt to a rooftop and took off running in the direction of the   
  
mall. Ten minutes before she should have reached the mall she saw people running   
  
around the streets yelling. "What the…" replied Serena as she looked down to see 3   
  
youmas chasing innocent citizens up and down the streets, zapping them of all their   
  
energy. "Oh my god! What am I going to do?!" screamed Sailor Moon as she jumped   
  
down to get a better view. "Oh crap, I know I'm going to get yelled at by Mars now.   
  
Damn, why couldn't they wait until night time or something to feed!" yelled Sailor Moon   
  
angrily as she took off after the youmas.  
  
Back at the mall, the three Sailor Scouts were being horrible beaten up by the two   
  
youmas and were wondering when help would show up. "Where the heck is the pea   
  
brain?!" yelled Sailor Mars as she was thrown against a wall. She screamed in pain and   
  
tried to get up. To her left, Sailor Mercury was being pounded and sliced up by the   
  
youma that looked like a giant grasshopper with razor sharp blades for arms. "Oh god,   
  
look out Venus!" shouted Mars as the other youma threw a blast of energy at the   
  
oblivious Sailor Venus, throwing her clear across the mall and into the glass window of   
  
the department store.  
  
"Where are you when we need you Sailor Moon?" asked Sailor Mercury, as she   
  
was knocked unconscious. Her arm was bleeding and badly and the youma had twisted   
  
her ankle, so she was left on the floor. "Mercury Glaciers… Surround!" screamed Sailor   
  
Mercury as she threw sharp daggers of ice at the youma causing it to disintegrate and turn   
  
into dust. "Oh thank god, it's over with." Said Sailor Mercury as she fainted.  
  
"Mars Fire Dome… Capture!" yelled Sailor Mars as a huge dome of fire came   
  
down upon the remaining youma crushing it with its walls of enraging fire. The youma   
  
finally busted into dust and vanished, leaving Sailor Mars alone with the other scouts.  
  
At the park, Sailor Jupiter and Tuxedo Mask had finally defeated the youma with   
  
an electrifying rose implanted into the youma's forehead, causing it to turn into dust with   
  
an explosion. "Thank god that's over with? I wonder how Sailor Moon and the others   
  
did?" thought Sailor Jupiter as she looked at Tuxedo Mask.  
  
All the while, in the streets of Tokyo, Sailor Moon was being thrown around like   
  
a bag of rice. She hit the ground with a loud thud screaming in agony. "Darn it, I hope   
  
the others are okay without me," thought Sailor Moon as she slowly got to her feet   
  
holding her scepter in her hand. "Gees, these guys never give up!" she yelled as she held   
  
her moon scepter up and got ready to mood dust all three at once. Just as she was about   
  
to yell her attack, one of the youma lunged at her with a claw extended and slashed her   
  
thigh open. "Ahh!' screamed Sailor Moon falling onto her knees, tears springing to her   
  
eyes. She turned just as the youma's sharp arm extended and came in contact with her   
  
right arm. "Damn it," yelled Sailor Moon as she covered her injured arm with her left   
  
hand. She grit her teeth as she pulled her scepter out and threw an attack back at the   
  
youmas. "Silver Crystal Beam… Attack!" cried Sailor Moon as the scepter blasted a ray   
  
of silver moon crescents at the youmas, vaporizing them. Pulling her crystal out, Sailor   
  
Moon used up as much of her energy as she could to cover the gash on her thigh up.  
  
Running clear across town to find the other scouts and Tuxedo Mask, Sailor   
  
Moon leapt form building top to building top, reaching the mall just as Sailor Jupiter and   
  
Tuxedo Mask arrived to help the others. "Where the hell were you Serena?!" cried Sailor   
  
Mars as she helped Mercury to feet. "Do you realize that Mina could very well be dead   
  
right now?" she asked expecting a pathetic excuse from Serena. "Jupiter, go over to that   
  
window and see if Venus is okay, she's hurt bad I think," Mars told Lita as she glared at   
  
the Moon Princess.  
  
"Serena, I thought you were heading here to help the girls? What happened?"   
  
questioned Darien as he de-transformed, looking at her very disappointed. Serena looked   
  
from Raye to Darien with a look of hurt in her eyes. She couldn't believe they didn't ask   
  
her for an explanation, instead all she heard was accusations of her letting her team down.  
  
"I'm sorry guys, I didn't mean to not get here in time to help you, I was just busy   
  
at the moment," replied Sailor Moon exhaustedly. She held onto her shoulder even   
  
tighter so the blood wouldn't leak down her arm. "I meant to get here sooner, I swear!   
  
But.." replied Sailor Moon just as Sailor Jupiter came back with Venus in her arms. "Oh   
  
my god, Mina!" cried Sailor Moon, running over to see her friend.  
  
"Get away from her Serena, you've done enough damage!" cried Lita as she   
  
backed away from Sailor Moon. "Look at her, she's a wreck all because of you!" blamed   
  
Sailor Jupiter angrily. Sailor Mars shook her head and looked up to see the tears in Sailor   
  
Moon's face.  
  
"All you ever do is cry and whine about not wanting to be a Sailor Scout, well…   
  
Since you don't want to be one, why don't you just quit. There's no point in you being   
  
on the team if you're going to let one of us die!" yelled Mars at Moon angrily as she   
  
glared at her.  
  
"Where were you Serena? I waited and hoped you would come help us for so   
  
long," whispered Mercury, as Tuxedo Mask looked over her injuries. "I'm so shocked, I   
  
thought you cared about us, I thought we were friends!" cried Mercury as she looked   
  
away, tears flowing form her eyes. She really wished she didn't have to tell Serena this,   
  
but truth was, she had let her team down.  
  
"Serena, I thought that over time you would finally grow up and mature. I guess I   
  
was wrong, I can't believe you would let your friends get so hurt," replied Darien looking   
  
at her angrily. Sailor Moon walked over to Tuxedo Mask and reached out for him but he   
  
only backed away from her. "I don't want a girlfriend who doesn't give a damn about   
  
her friends and scouts," he yelled as he came up and grabbed her arm and dragged her   
  
over to Venus. "Look at her, she might just die from this thanks to you!" he screamed,   
  
pushing her to the ground in front of where Mina was lying. "Sometimes I wish you   
  
were a more descent person, you're so aggravating!" Darien yelled at her, seeing tears   
  
rise to her eyes.  
  
"Stop!" cried Sailor Moon. "That's enough! I don't need to take all of this from   
  
you!" exclaimed Serena, tears flowing freely down her face now. "I've had one rough   
  
time fighting not one or two, but three youmas reeking havoc downtown, so why don't   
  
you just shut up already! Why do I even bother explaining myself, you probably won't   
  
believe me anyway right?!" she yelled at everyone, her voice hoarse from all those tears   
  
she tried to conceal. "If you don't want me then fine, I'm leaving the Scouts! And   
  
Darien, you and I are through with! I don't ever want to see your face again, especially   
  
after what you just said!" screamed Sailor Moon as she threw the star locket at him,   
  
hitting him smack in the face with it. Serena then reached for her transformation broach   
  
and removed her crystal from it. "I have no use for this anymore, you can go find another   
  
leader for this pathetic team," replied Serena as she placed the Silver Imperium Crystal   
  
into a subspace pocket and walked off.  
  
~End Part I~  
  
Wells, how did I do? Too cheesy? Or maybe it took the path of many other stories? I'm   
  
sorry, I couldn't think of any better way to break Serena off form the team. This is the   
  
only emotional storyline I could choose to set my fanfic into the right direction. Hope   
  
you liked it! Part II will be coming out soon! Ja Ne! 


	2. Two

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Ohayo! Yes, I am back! ::giggles:: I know I didn't do the perfect job on Part I but I promise it'll get better from now on! I only hope you like my other characters. Well, you'll learn more about my characters in this chapter. I hope you like what becomes of everyone, but if not, I'll be hiding under my bed! Ja Ne!  
  
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Insight~  
  
Jeff - Prince of the Sun Kingdom  
  
Nick - Prince of the Star Kingdom  
  
Drew - Prince of the Orion Kingdom  
  
Justin - Prince of the Nebulae Kingdom  
  
Appearances~   
  
Lena Johnson - Selena, Princess of the Sun Kingdom  
  
  
  
No Turning Back~  
  
Walking home Serena thought about all the things that had terribly gone wrong. How could they possibly be so cruel to her? Not knowing what else to do, she cried the entire way home. Once in her bedroom, Serena tended to her wounds and tried as much as she could without having to use the crystal.  
  
"I guess this all was never meant to be," said Serena exasperated from the   
  
night's events. She picked up the phone and dialed a friend's number up, thinking about some way to get away. "Hello? Yes, may I speak to Lena please?" asked Serena as she heard someone's voice on the other end of the line.  
  
"Yes, one moment please. May I ask whose speaking?" the person asked in response. Serena wondered who the person could be and told them her name. Moments later, Lena was on the phone.  
  
"Hey girl! What's up?" replied Lena happy to hear from Serena in such a   
  
long time. "So, what's the deal? How are you and Darien?" asked Lena before Serena could even get a word in.  
  
"Not much girl, I just wanted to ask a favor of you. I'm fine, and me and Darien broke up a little while back," answered Serena solemnly. She had a stern look on her face as she thought about their break-up. "So anyway, I'll tell you the details later, but right now I have to ask you something. Do you think it would be possible if I came to visit you for a while, and maybe even stay?"   
  
asked Serena hoping Lena would agree, because if not, she would have no where else to go.  
  
"Sure! No problem! You shouldn't even have to ask girl, you know I'd love to have you over!" shouted Lena loudly. "Wow! This is going to be so cool, I'm so psyched out about this!" laughed Lena as she started planning their time   
  
together. "Well, when are you planning on flying over Sera?" she asked suddenly to know how much time she'd get to clean her guest room up. {Note: if you're wondering why Lena called Serena Sera, that's because I gave her a nickname. Just take the -en out of Serena and you get Sera! Ok on the story!}  
  
"Actually, I was hoping to leave tonight. Sorry it's such short notice, but I'm sure you'll have your guest bedroom cleaned up by the time my flight arrives in L.A. right?" said Serena knowing full well what Lena was thinking about.  
  
"Damn, you know me too well!" laughed Lena as she scratched her head, messing with her hair. "Wells, just give me a call when you know what time your flight will be in alright?" asked Lena as she walked into the guest room to take a look around. She would have to work really fast if she wanted this room clean before Serena arrived. "Anyway, I'm going to have to let you go now so I can get started okay?" asked Lena as she grabbed a ribbon to tie her long auburn hair up into a ponytail.  
  
"Oh okay! Call you in a little babe! Oh yeah, thanks a bunch girl! I owe you!" shouted Serena with a giggle. They hung up and Serena proceeded to pack her belongings. She looked around her tiny apartment and wondered what she should leave behind. It had taken her months to shop for all the right things she wanted in her little abode, but at the moment, she could only bring along so few things.  
  
Over at Lena's place, Lena was running around dusting and vacuuming that guest room while some bed sheets were in the wash. "Oh man, I wish Jeff was home to help me with this," grunted Lena as she rearranged the desk and nightstand. Just as she was trying to move the bed over near the window, Jeff came walking into the room.  
  
"What on earth are you doing Lena? Why are you cleaning this room up for?" he asked giving her a weird look. "You know, you really need a hobby. I told you to take up choir like me sis," commented Jeff as he laughed at his sister's sorry attempt to move the queen-sized bed. "Here, let me help you with that," he suggested as he shoved the bed over to the corner of the room.  
  
"Well Mr. I'm All That, I was cleaning this room up because my friend Serena is coming over to stay with us for a while," snorted Lena at her big brother. "Can you even remember her bro?" she asked as she walked out of the room to get the sheets. She came back with some fresh warm sheets and placed them on the bed for Serena. Placing the comforter and some pillows near the edge, Lena sat down to get some rest.  
  
"You mean that cute little girl with the blonde pigtails?" asked Jeff curiously as he wrinkled his eyebrows together in confusion. He was sure that's the girl Lena was referring to, but then again, Lena has so many girl friends! Lena smiled up at him and gave him a thumbs up for guessing it correctly.  
  
"Yeah, I guess she needs a vacation or something. Anyway, she'll be here by tomorrow night at the latest, so I want you to keep this place clean for me okay?!" yelled Lena as she and Jeff left the room and walked into the living room. Jeff tends to be a little messy when he invites his buddies over. The 3-bedroom condominium has forgone so many of their hectic parties. "Besides, you and the guys have to be on your best behavior because the agent will be stopping by unannounced sometime this week!" said Lena with a smile on her face.  
  
"Lena! How can you be so mean to your only big brother?" asked Jeff, faking a hurt expression on his face. They both looked at one another oddly and busted out laughing. Lena knew how much Jeff hated having to behave when the agent stopped by to check up on his activities. Jeff and his friends were part of a singing group that was starting to become famous around the United States and other countries. They called themselves 98 Degrees. "Anyway, me and the guys are probably going to lay low when Mike comes around, he annoys us so much sometimes!" said Jeff, walking away with his hands behind his head.  
  
"Hey! Where are you going now?!" shouted Lena as she chased after her brother. He stopped in front of his bedroom door and smiled at her. "Uh Oh, I don't like the look on your face," responded Lena as she backed away from him. "You and the guys are up to no good when you have that look in your eyes!" she yelled as he laughed and shut the door in her face. "I'm warning you Jeff, you better not get into anymore trouble!" roared Lena as she banged in Jeff's door and stomped off when she heard him laugh in response. Just then the doorbell went off, causing Lena to roll her eyes and turn from her walk to her room to answer it.  
  
"Hey Lena! Is Jeff ready?" asked a smiling Drew as he looked into the condo to see if Jeff was sitting around somewhere. Behind him, Nick and Justin were talking about heck knows what, but Lena could tell they were in a deep conversation since she hadn't heard them say hello to her yet. The guys walked in as she stepped aside and pointed towards Jeff's room, implying that he isn't ready yet.  
  
"Why don't you guys sit and wait, he's probably making himself look good for the girls on campus again," replied Lena rolling her eyes at the thought. With that said, Jeff came walking out of his room pointing at her with a look of resent in his eyes.  
  
"I am not, why can't you be a nice little sister and not think so low of your big brother. I'm 25 years old for heaven sake Lena, I do not behave so immature!" he replied, a little peeved at her. The guys busted out laughing as soon as those words left his mouth. Lena got up and left, shaking her head while going to her room.  
  
"I'll be in the shower for a while okay? If Sera calls and I'm not out yet, ask her for her flight time so I can come get her when she arrives!" Lena shouted as she closed the door to her bedroom. The guys all turned to Jeff with a questioning look on their faces, as they thought about whom this Sera person was.  
  
"So... Since when did you have a guest coming for a visit and not tell us?   
  
Gosh, I thought we were best friend Jeff, what's with the secret. You trying to   
  
hide her from us?" asked Nick and Justin together.  
  
"No, she's my sister's friend. And she just told her that's she's coming for a visit, that's all! Damn, you guys are so nosy sometimes!" replied Jeff with an aggravated tone in his voice. He got up and went to get the lyric sheets they needed to practice for the concert next week. "Anyway, Mike might be stopping by, so we better get this new song down to every last whisper," Jeff told the guys as they all became serious once their agent's name was brought up.  
  
So as the guys in 98 Degrees were practicing their newest written song called "My Everything", Serena was on her way to America, leaving behind a life full of memories to start a new one. She looked out the window from her seat and concentrated hard on her soul-bonded link to Darien. In a matter of seconds, that bond was cut and forgotten as Serena opened her eyes to a new life as Sera Jacobs.  
  
Back in Tokyo, Darien's back stiffen as he was struck with an unbearable pain. "What the heck is happening now?" wondered Darien as he fell to his knees. His head suddenly shot up as he felt an empty void in his heart. "The link! She cut off the only thing that bonded me to her!" yelled Darien in his mind, feeling very hurt. All this time, Darien thought that Serena was just blowing off steam, but he had really lost her. And this time, she wasn't coming back anymore.  
  
The deal is, the scouts had realized their cruel attitudes towards Sailor Moon as soon as she turned her back to them and walked off. They were hoping to let her cool down before apologizing, but now they would never have the opportunity to tell her how sorry they were for being mean to her. Everyone saw the scrapes on Sailor Moon's petite little form as she walked away clutching her injured arm. Mercury even ran a test on her and found all the horrible wounds she had hidden under the crystal's magical illusion she created for herself. The Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo Mask all look away in shame as their leader walked off and never turned back. Of course, there is no turning back now, not anymore. She has a new life to start and fill with fond memories.  
  
Cliffhanger!!! ::laughs evilly:: It was just getting good right? Well, more next chapter! Ja Ne minna-chan! 


	3. Three

Hey everyone! Hope you liked last chapter, this one will be even better. Ja!  
  
New Characters~  
  
Kayla Reynolds – Lena's friend/Selena's maiden Kae  
  
Lillian Andrews – Lena's friend/Selena's maiden Liliana  
  
Nina Horton – Lena's friend/Selena's maiden Nene  
  
Stacy Kingsley – Lena's friend/Selena's maiden Anastasia  
  
  
  
No Turning Back~  
  
The guys were all sitting around the dining table looking over the lyrics   
  
to the song when the telephone rang. Jeff answered and found out that it was   
  
Serena on the line. She finally arrived and was at the LAX airport waiting for   
  
Lena to pick her up.   
  
Only problem was that Lena was still in the shower so she asked Jeff to go ahead   
  
and pick Serena up for her. So the guys all agreed go with Jeff to the airport   
  
to pick up this new mysterious young lady.  
  
"I wonder if she's pretty," thought Jeff while driving, paying little   
  
attention to the guys in the back. "Hmm… I know I've met her before, but why   
  
can't I remember how she looks? I mean, she sounds awfully cute, so there's no   
  
way I could forget her face," reasoned Jeff as he exited the highway and turned   
  
towards the airport's direction.  
  
A light tap was felt on Jeff's shoulder as Drew smiled at him. "Hey, how   
  
old is this chick anyway?" asked the curious Drew, hoping she'd turn out to be   
  
really cute and available. Jeff shrugged and looked for the terminal Serena was   
  
waiting at.  
  
"I hope she hasn't been waiting too long, especially since Lena couldn't   
  
even come get her. She'll probably be frightened to see us!" said Nick laughing   
  
at the thought of a girl being scared of him of all the people! The others just   
  
chuckled and all got out of the car to look for Lena's friend. "So, what does   
  
she look like? How are we supposed to know who she is if we can't distinguish   
  
her from this crowd of people?" asked Nick as he suddenly realized there were a   
  
lot of girls around him suddenly.  
  
"Oh man, make a run for it guys!" yelled Drew as he dashed for the car,   
  
with a herd of women chasing after him. Justin and Nick ran for the men's   
  
restroom while Jeff managed to sneak away from the stampede of girls.  
  
Slowly backing away so that nobody would notice him missing, Jeff   
  
accidentally knocks into a person. "Oh sorry about that," answered the person   
  
he bumped into. It was a girl, and boy did she have an amazing voice. Jeff   
  
turned around only to stare into the most incredibly blue eyes ever. He shook   
  
his head and looked at her once again.   
  
"I'm sorry, I can't seem to find my way to the door and someone is   
  
supposed to be picking me up at the entrance, could you help me?" the voice   
  
asked, snapping him out of his daze.  
  
"Oh yes, it's right back that way miss," replied Jeff quietly, still   
  
staring at her beautiful face. The lady thanked him and was on her way, once he   
  
realized she left, he turned back and ran after her. "Pardon me miss, but would   
  
your name happen to be Serena?" asked Jeff, hoping that she would turn out to be   
  
Lena's friend. "Damn, she's so pretty," thought Jeff as he waited for her to   
  
answer.  
  
"Yeah, are you Lena's brother Jeff? Is she here with you?" asked Serena   
  
quickly after hearing Lena's name. She was so frightened when the man she ran   
  
into knew her name. It's one thing to meet a really hot guy by bumping into   
  
him, but it's a really freaky thing for him to run after you and know your name!   
  
Jeff shook his head and told her the situation at home with Lena. "Oh okay.   
  
Well, Hi! I'm Serena Jacobs," replied Serena with a genuine smile on her face.   
  
"Sorry I ran into you earlier, I just feel so lost here," she told him as she   
  
stared at his eyes. Jeff offered to help with her suitcases and she thanked him   
  
as he led her to his car.  
  
"By the way, I'm Jeff Timmons," said Jeff as he turned around to smile at   
  
her. Serena stopped in her track and thought. Timmons? Wasn't Lena's last   
  
name Johnson? Why on earth do they not share the same last name if they're   
  
siblings thought Serena quietly to herself?   
  
"You're probably wondering why my last name is Timmons huh? Well, Lena is   
  
my half-sister," answered Jeff, wiping away any thoughts Serena had left as they   
  
stopped at an Infinity Qx4. "Hang on while I find my other friends, they came   
  
to help me look for you, but we ran into some unwanted trouble," said Jeff after   
  
putting her things into the trunk. "You can take a seat, you're probably really   
  
tired from the overseas flights, I know how it feels," commented Jeff as he   
  
started the engine and opened the door for her. "I'll be right back," he said,   
  
walking off to look for the guys.  
  
"Wow," whispered Serena leaning back into the passenger seat to rest and   
  
think. "He's so sweet, and cute to boot too!" laughed Serena as she looked out   
  
the window to see Jeff returning with three other guys all laughing and smiling.   
  
"Well, I guess I should relax and get used to this," thought Serena. The door   
  
opened and the guys all got in while Jeff slid back into the driver's seat   
  
beside her.  
  
"Hi! I'm Drew, and this is Nick and Justin," greeted a smiling Drew,   
  
looking over Serena's face. The other guys waved at Serena and she smiled back   
  
in return. "May I ask you where you're from?" inquired Drew as he thought about   
  
Lena's other friends.  
  
"I'm Serena Jacobs, and I'm from Japan. My mother's Japanese and father   
  
is American, hence the last name Jacobs," responded Serena with a slight smile.  
  
The ride back was short but everyone talked with Serena the entire way to Jeff's   
  
condo. By the time they arrived, everyone was laughing and smiling as if they'd   
  
known each other for so long. Lena opened the door and launched herself into   
  
Serena's arms unsuspectingly. The two girls hugged and talked about the flight   
  
over as everyone sat down in the living room. Jeff went ahead and put Serena's   
  
belongings in her room and went back out to talk with everyone.  
  
"Well, it was nice meeting you Serena, but we have to get going now,"   
  
replied Nick as he and the guys got up to leave. Drew and Justin nodded in   
  
response as they hugged her good night and left Jeff and Lena alone with Serena.  
  
With the guys gone, the three sat down and ate dinner, talking about everything   
  
that came to mind and catching up on old times. After dinner was over, Jeff   
  
remembered Serena and how he met her so long ago when she last visited Lena. He   
  
also recalled having a slight crush on the blonde teen beauty. Time passed and   
  
everyone soon headed off to bed. Jeff stayed up to practice singing "My   
  
Everything" alone on the patio.  
  
"Why do I feel so strange around Serena? Feels like I've known her for so   
  
long, and like there is a connection between us somehow? Strange feeling,"   
  
thought Jeff as he continued singing, not knowing that Serena had awoken and was   
  
sitting nearby listening.  
  
~One week later~  
  
Serena has already applied and enrolled into California State University   
  
as Sera Jacobs. Lena, Jeff and the other guys attend Cal. State University as   
  
well. Sera also had some classes with everyone.  
  
"Hey Sera! Where you off to?" asked Jeff as he ran to catch up with her.   
  
Sera turned around and waited for Jeff.  
  
"Nowhere, just lunch I guess," answered Sera smiling back at Jeff. The   
  
two had grown close over the past week. He was so nice and helpful when it came   
  
to picking out classes and buying supplies and other things she needed. He took   
  
her wherever she needed to go, even though Lena had a car and could easily drive   
  
her. "Want to join me?" asked Sera as she tilted her head and looked at him.  
  
"Yeah, that'd be great!" said Jeff as they both walked off to find a   
  
little café to have lunch at. During lunch, they talked about classes and plans   
  
for the weekend as well as new assignments in classes. "Hey Sera? Would you   
  
like to go to a movie with me Friday night? Just the two of us?" asked Jeff,   
  
hoping she'd say yes and make his day. He had really grown to like her over the   
  
last couple of days. She was just so pretty and sweet, he couldn't help but   
  
like her more and more everyday.  
  
"Sure, I'd love to go with you! What are we going to see?" asked Sera in   
  
response to Jeff asking her out. "Is this a date? Nah, I'm just making a big   
  
deal out of nothing," thought Sera to herself. "Hmm… Tomorrow is… Oh crap!   
  
Tomorrow is Friday!" thought Sera freaking out. "Hey Jeff, do you want to go   
  
shopping after this? I don't have anything nice to wear for tomorrow," said   
  
Sera with a frown on her face.  
  
"Yeah sure, but you look nice in everything Sera," replied Jeff, laughing   
  
at the face she was making. "God, she's so gorgeous," Jeff thought to himself,   
  
smiling at her as she grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the café. "C'mon,   
  
let's go now!" he shouted excitedly as they both headed towards the mall.  
  
After several hours of shopping and trying on outfits, the two returned   
  
home with many bags of clothes all belonging to Sera! Lena looked up to see the   
  
two coming in laughing and smiling with loads of new clothes. She smiled as she   
  
thought about them being so chummy with one another. Could they be falling for   
  
one another? Lena was happy that Serena was having fun and forgetting her life   
  
in Tokyo. The girls had stayed up one night and Serena had told her everything   
  
that happened, all the awful things she went through. Lena was glad that Serena   
  
was here with her and Jeff now, she was way happier with them then with those   
  
unworthy people she called friends.  
  
"Hey guys, what's with all the shopping bags?" asked Lena smiling at the   
  
two people she loved most in her life. "You two went shopping and didn't bring   
  
me along, I'm so hurt!" she pretended with a giggle as Sera threw a bag at her.   
  
"Oh wow, are these all for me?" she asked looking through all the cute clothes.  
  
"Yeah, your big brother went crazy! I asked him to come shopping with me   
  
to find an outfit for our date Friday night and he like bought me so many   
  
outfits! I think we almost bought out the whole mall today!" laughed Sera as   
  
she sorted through her clothes and shoes. Lena's eyebrows perked up at the word   
  
DATE.  
  
"Date?" asked Lena, as she smiled at her brother mischievously. Sera and   
  
Jeff both stopped what they were doing and looked at Lena as she smiled at the   
  
two. "Since when did you guys go on dates alone and get all dressed up?"   
  
inquired Lena, wanting to know the scoop on the two.  
  
"It's not like that Lena, my god, you always let your imaginations run   
  
wild!" answered Jeff immediately, not wanting his little sister to think things   
  
already. "I'm just taking her to go see this new movie I heard about," he told   
  
her. "Simple as that," said Jeff quietly, looking away from Lena's questioning   
  
eyes. He knew his sister would be able to tell that he liked Sera, but he   
  
didn't want Lena to let her know just yet.  
  
"Well, nobody is going with us Jeff, so it is considered a date isn't it?"   
  
asked Sera curiously, hoping he would say yes. She did like him more than the   
  
other guys, more than any other guy as a matter of fact. And he was helping her   
  
forget about Darien.  
  
"Umm… Well, I guess it is huh?" responded Jeff placing a quirky grin on   
  
his face as she scratched the mass of dark auburn hair on his head. "I wonder   
  
is this means that Sera sort of likes me?" thought Jeff to himself, thinking   
  
about their date even more.  
  
"Well, I'll leave you two alone, I have studying to do!" exclaimed Lena as   
  
she walked into her room and shut the door to study quietly.  
  
~The next night~  
  
"So, what movie are we watching?" asked Sera as she looked at Jeff as they   
  
walked towards the Cinema. She was wearing a really cute black skirt that came   
  
down to her knees and a white tank under her baby blue cardigan. Jeff had on   
  
some khakis and a navy blue dress shirt. Sera thought it was very coincidental   
  
that they both wore the same color on this particular evening.  
  
"Have you seen Thirteenth Ghost yet?" asked Jeff as he considered the   
  
choices they had to watch. He wasn't sure what he should watch at the moment.   
  
Glancing quickly at Sera, he noticed her nose crinkle up after she heard the   
  
word Ghost. "She looks so cute when she does that," Jeff thought laughing   
  
inwardly to himself.  
  
"Can we see A Walk To Remember instead?" asked Sera as she grabbed his arm   
  
and gave him a pleading look he couldn't resist. Jeff nodded and Sera smiled   
  
back at him as she jumped up and hugged him tightly. "You're the sweetest   
  
Jeff!" said Sera as she let go of him and ran to get tickets for the both of   
  
them.  
  
The movie went by quickly and the two came out talking about how sweet it   
  
turned out to be. They decided to drive to the beach and walk around for a bit   
  
before heading home. When they got to the beach, the sun was just about to set,   
  
so they got to see the sunset together while walking along the shore. Somehow   
  
along the way, their hands entwined and neither Jeff nor Sera thought about   
  
letting go. When it got darker,   
  
Jeff suggested they head home because it was getting chilly out.  
  
"That was really fun, thanks for inviting me out Jeff, we should do this   
  
again next time!" exclaimed Sera happily as they both reached the door.  
  
"Yeah, we'll do this on occasion, to get away from school and the gang,"   
  
replied Jeff as he turned and looked down at the smiling goddess in front of   
  
him. After that was said, it became very silent and the two just stood there   
  
staring at one another.   
  
That's all for now! Sorry about the cliffhanger! ::runs off giggling:: 


	4. Four

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or the characters from the series, but I do   
  
own all the others! I don't put disclaimers on every chapter because it takes   
  
up too much space. Okay, on with the story. Ja!  
  
No Turning Back~  
  
There they were, standing there in front of the door staring at each   
  
other. Inch by inch, their lips slowly came closer together until they shared a   
  
gentle kiss filled with passion. Just as fast as the kiss came it went, as they   
  
pulled apart from one another shocked. Entering the condo, neither Jeff nor   
  
Sera spoke one word.  
  
"Well, good night," said Jeff as he turned around to look at Sera just   
  
before he entered his bedroom. Sera walked into her room and shut the door,   
  
sliding to the floor and leaning against it.  
  
"What's this feeling I have in me?" whispered Serena as she touched her   
  
lips gently. A sigh escaped her lips as she closed her eyes and tried to   
  
recapture the tender moment they shared together. "I think I've just fallen for   
  
you," thought Serena to herself as she looked out the window toward the moon.  
  
In his room, Jeff was going through his mind over and over again what he   
  
was going to do now. "I just kissed her! Now what?" he asked himself as he   
  
pulled on his hair frustrated. "God, I'm in love..." he realized as he looked   
  
out his window thinking of Sera as he stared up at the moon.  
  
That night, while Serena and Jeff were both sleeping, a mysterious dream   
  
overtook their minds in their sleep. For Serena, she was back on the moon,   
  
dressed in his princess gown. She was in the garden talking to someone, but the   
  
person was behind Princess Serenity and Serena couldn't get a good look at him.   
  
She knew it was a guy from the armor he was wearing. Just as she was about to   
  
scream in anger, Princess Serenity and the mysterious figure spoke.  
  
"It's been so long my prince," said Serenity as she placed her hand up to   
  
his face and smiled at him. "I've miss you so much in the time we've been   
  
apart," she told him as he put his hand over hers and squeezed it lovingly.  
  
"Yes, I too have been missing you princess," replied the figure behind the   
  
princess. Princess Serenity stepped aside and before her stood Jeff!! Serena   
  
couldn't believe it, how could Jeff be in her past? "Things on the Sun have   
  
been so hectic. Cousin Lance and Selenity have just returned from their   
  
honeymoon and the entire kingdom is preparing for their return to the Novena   
  
kingdom," replied Prince Solaris as he hugged Serenity.  
  
"I agree, ever since Selena got married, mother has been so worried about   
  
her safety," whispered Serenity as she got a far off look in her eyes. "Mother   
  
is sending the Moon Maidens with Selena to Nova to look after her," said   
  
Serenity as she turned back to Solaris. "Do you think it will be this crazy   
  
when we marry Solaris?" she asked looking a little sad. Princess Selenity was   
  
Serenity's younger sister, and she was just married to the prince from the   
  
kingdom of Nova for an alliance. Serenity and Solaris's marriage was scheduled   
  
within the next two weeks.  
  
"When the heirs of two kingdoms wed, it usually causes a lot of commotion   
  
my love," replied Prince Solaris, trying to comfort Serenity. "Serenity, don't   
  
worry, nothing will go wrong," promised Solaris kissing her on the temple.  
  
"Yes, but you never when something will turn up, it'll just mess up   
  
everything!" thought Serenity frantically. She started pacing back and forth   
  
while Solaris just stood there trying not to laugh.  
  
"Calm down love, you'll tire yourself," said Solaris as he wrapped his   
  
arms around Serenity and held her still. "You know better than to cloud your   
  
mind with worries, it'll just put a lot of stress on your mind," warned the   
  
prince.  
  
"You're right darling, lets head back to the dinner party," suggested   
  
Serenity as she pulled him in the direction of the ballroom.  
  
~Two Weeks Later in Serena & Jeff's dream~  
  
"Your majesty, a messenger is here on behalf of the Sun kingdom," informed   
  
the soldier guarding Queen Serenity's throne room.  
  
"Please lead the messenger in immediately," answered Queen Serenity calmly   
  
as she gave her daughter a questioned look. Serenity was worried that something   
  
had gone wrong on the Sun and that Solaris would not be able to make it to the   
  
wedding.  
  
"Your highness, Princess Serenity, I ask of you to please stay calm while   
  
I relay this message to you," requested the messenger as he pulled out a scroll   
  
from his satchel.   
  
"The palace was hit with a surprise attack last night and the Prince was   
  
kidnapped and a note declaring his death was left behind, the king and queen has   
  
sent me to call off the engagement and sends their deepest regret and apology,"   
  
said the messenger as he rolled the scroll up and gave it to Queen Serenity. "I   
  
too am sorry to be the one to give you this message," he added quietly, bowing   
  
his head down and leaving.  
  
"Please send my condolences to the king and queen when you get back to   
  
Sun," shouted the Moon queen just as the messenger was about to exit. "I will   
  
send my troops over to help investigate this tragic turn of events," she told   
  
him as he nodded and bowed before closing the door behind him. Serenity turned   
  
to look at her daughter and saw tears streaming down her face. "I am so sorry   
  
my child, I will do all I can to help find your fiancée, but please be warned   
  
that he might truly be lost to us," whispered Queen Serenity as she took her   
  
crying daughter into her arms and held her tightly.  
  
"No, he promised nothing would go wrong mother!" cried Serenity as she   
  
wept into her mother's shoulder loudly. "Who would do this? Solaris has no   
  
enemies!" screamed the crying princess. "It just hurts so bad to know that he   
  
won't be coming back to me!" Serenity told her mother as she tried to keep the   
  
tears from falling. "Oh god, please let him be safe and alive," begged Serenity   
  
as she continued to cry loudly.  
  
Back in the real world, Serena was tossing back and forth as tears   
  
streamed down her cheeks. In another room nearby, Jeff was tossing and turning,   
  
feeling the anguish Serenity was feeling at the time. Suddenly the two sleeping   
  
dreamers began to calm down as the dream progressed.  
  
"Serenity my beloved child, you must be strong and hope for the best,"   
  
replied Queen Serenity calmly, trying to shake her daughter from her state of   
  
despair. "And if he isn't found Serenity, you'll have to move on, it's what   
  
Solaris would want you to do sweetheart," said the queen, looking her daughter   
  
straight in the eye. "I need you to be strong my darling, otherwise, no hope is   
  
left for us to live for," implied Queen Serenity.  
  
With that scene over, the dream fast-forwarded to another scene. It   
  
appeared to have been a year after the disappearance of Prince Solaris.   
  
Princess Serenity was still grieving over her beloved prince, but knew she had   
  
to realize that he would never be coming back. Tonight a ball was being held in   
  
her honor, she was turning eighteen and would be meeting a surprise guest from   
  
the Earth kingdom.  
  
"It's been a year now, and still no sign. I guess I should just give up   
  
this silly quest of searching for him. But how am I going to forget him,   
  
Solaris was everything I ever wanted and needed in my life, how can I possibly   
  
live without him?" thought Serenity as she walked through the gardens alone.   
  
Turning a corner she ran straight into someone without even noticing where she   
  
was heading. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, I was just thinking and I must have not   
  
been paying attention to where I was going," apologized Serenity as she tried to   
  
help the person up. It was a man, and he was pretty big in size compared to   
  
Serenity, reminded her of Solaris.  
  
"It's quite all right, I was just touring your garden, it's quite lovely,"   
  
answered the man as he bowed to the princess. "Allow me to introduce myself   
  
your highness, I am Prince Endymion of Earth," informed the man standing before   
  
her. "Well, I must be going now princess, good day," said the prince as he took   
  
off in another direction.  
  
That night, after the ball, Serenity and her mother spoke quietly in her   
  
bedroom. "No mother! I will not be betrothed to another man! It's only been a   
  
year and you wish me to marry that prince from Earth just for an alliance?!"   
  
yelled Princess Serenity angrily. She stormed away from her mother and stopped   
  
by the door, turning around she said to her mother, "I am not Selenity, and I   
  
will not be wed for some contract of yours!"  
  
"Serenity, you're being absurd, you can't waste your life waiting for a   
  
dead person to return to you child!" responded Queen Serenity angrily. "You   
  
will agree to this marriage proposal whether or not you approve of it, I want   
  
what is best for you only, please understand this," begged the Queen as she   
  
walked toward Serenity. "I want to make sure you have someone to care for you   
  
when I leave this world, so that the Moon kingdom will have a good ruler, so you   
  
understand?" asked her mother as she left   
  
Serenity's room and shut the door behind her.  
  
"No!" cried Serenity as she threw herself on her bed and cried. "I will   
  
never love any other man beside Solaris, I can't marry anyone else, it just   
  
won't be right to my heart," she said to herself as she wept even louder into   
  
her pillows. ~End Dream~  
  
Sera suddenly woke from her sleep in a sweat, tears streaming down her   
  
eyes as she looked around and found that she was back in her room again. "Oh my   
  
god, was that part of my past too?" thought Serena as she slowly got up, her   
  
entire body was wracked with an unbearable pain inside. "How could I not   
  
remember any of this? It's impossible, all of my memories would have been   
  
restored when Luna brought back Serenity wouldn't it?" pondered Serena as she   
  
walked out into the living room and went out onto the patio to sit and think.  
  
"Couldn't sleep either?" asked Jeff suddenly, snapping Serena out of her   
  
deep thoughts. "Sorry," he replied as he took a seat beside her.  
  
"No it's okay, I just didn't see you there so it kind of scared me,"   
  
answered Sera trying not to make it too obvious that she had been crying to   
  
Jeff.  
  
"You want to know something really weird?" asked Jeff as he turned and   
  
looked Sera in the eye. "I had this really weird dream about us, except it   
  
involved Princes and Princesses of really weird kingdoms," admitted Jeff   
  
quietly, hoping Sera wouldn't think him a freak afterwards. Serena jumped back   
  
after hearing about Jeff's dream, it's one thing to dream about your past, but   
  
to have a person who was in your dream also dream about it was just too much of   
  
a coincidence.  
  
"You had that dream too?" asked Sera a little shocked. "Was I a princess   
  
from the moon named Serenity and were you that prince from the Sun named   
  
Solaris?" questioned Sera as she looked Jeff in the eye. "Oh please let this be   
  
some stupid dream, it just can't be real," cried Serena in her mind.  
  
"Serenity, I think I remember everything now, please don't be scared,"   
  
said Jeff calmly as he drew Sera into his arms. "We're together now, don't you   
  
see, fate knew how much we wanted to be with one another," whispered Jeff as he   
  
held Sera even tighter. "Oh, god only knows how much I've missed you princess,"   
  
added Jeff. "It's been so long since I've last held you in my arms," thought   
  
Jeff out loud as he pulled away from Sera and looked at her closely.  
  
"I thought Endymion was the only love Serenity ever had in her life, but I   
  
guess her heart just didn't want to relive the pain inside, so it locked those   
  
memories away when I was reborn on Earth," replied Serenity as tears began to   
  
flow from her eyes again.   
  
"I missed you terrible Solaris," cried Serena as she jumped into Jeff's embrace   
  
again.  
  
"What's going on out here?" asked Lena as she looked at Sera and Jeff with   
  
a confused look in her eyes. "God, can no one sleep tonight?" she asked as she   
  
stepped out onto the patio, followed by three other guys. "Guess who else   
  
couldn't sleep and decided to come give us a visit?" asked Lena as she stepped   
  
aside to reveal Drew, Nick, and Justin behind her.  
  
"What in heaven's name is going on, why are you guys awake too?" asked   
  
Jeff, giving the guys a questioning look. Slowly, everyone began to tell their   
  
story of how they couldn't sleep. Turns out that everyone had a dream about   
  
their past life on the Moon and Sun. For hours everyone sat out on the patio   
  
talking about his or her dreams and past lives.  
  
"So let me get this straight, Serena and Jeff are Princess Serenity and   
  
Prince Solaris?" asked Drew, looking very bewildered. "And I'm the prince of   
  
the Orion kingdom?" added Drew as he fell back in his seat, eyebrows raised.   
  
"So then Nick is the prince from the Star kingdom and Justin is the prince of   
  
the Nebulae kingdom?" he questioned, pointing to the other two guys. "This is   
  
all not making any sense," he replied with a sigh as he scratched his head.  
  
"So... so that means that you and I are sisters Serena?" asked Lena   
  
suddenly, looking up at Sera curiously. Serena nodded and smiled and Lena, just   
  
as her moon symbol appeared and a ray of golden beans was sent from Serena's   
  
mind into Lena's, causing a silver moon symbol to appear. "Oh god, I've miss   
  
you so much Serenity," cried Lena as she raced into her sister's arms.  
  
"Wow, so this means that we're all royalty huh?" thought Nick as he looked   
  
at the gang with a huge smile on his face. Everyone busted out laughing as they   
  
hugged each other for the first real time, knowing full well how they all   
  
somehow met. "It's been a long time hasn't it?" asked Nick, as he looked up at   
  
the moon, alone with everyone else. The group spent the night talking about   
  
memories that were just starting to come back.  
  
That's all for now. Ja Ne!! 


	5. Five

Well, looks like everyone remember their life from the Silver Millennium now.   
  
Okay, on with the rest of the story! Ja!  
  
No Turning Back~  
  
It's now been two years since the everyone has remembered their past lives   
  
back during the Silver Millennium. Sera and Jeff have been dating ever since   
  
and are scheduled to be graduating soon. Jeff's band 98 Degrees, have become a   
  
great hit and are beginning to tour in the United States. It's been planned   
  
that as soon as all the guys graduate, they will begin their International tour.  
  
"Hey honey, could you come in here and help me with these?" called out   
  
Sera from her room, trying to put on a new set of drapes for her windows. She   
  
was standing on top of some books that were stacked up high on a chair so she   
  
could reach; suddenly she lost her balance and slips. "Uh oh," thought Sera as   
  
she closed her eyes and prepared herself for the fall.  
  
"Careful sweetie," whispered Jeff as he caught her just in the nick of   
  
time. Sera opened her eyes and smiled at him, wrapping her arms tightly around   
  
his neck and pulling him in for a kiss. "Okay, let's get that drape up before   
  
you try to hurt yourself again. After the drapes were put up, Sera and Jeff   
  
rearranged her bedroom, and put   
  
Sera's new bookshelf in the corner and stacked her books up as well.  
  
"Hey, since we're all done, let's go out for dinner tonight," suggested   
  
Sera as she wrapped her arms around Jeff's waist from behind him. "I mean,   
  
you've been practicing with the guys so much lately that we hardly ever go out   
  
on dinners anymore," she pouted, pulling away form him and sitting on her bed.   
  
Jeff sat down beside her, smiling as he lifted her chin up for a kiss.  
  
"You're right babe, I'll take you out on a nice romantic dinner tomorrow   
  
night okay? Tonight, we'll go catch a movie," replied Jeff as he hugged his   
  
girlfriend tightly. "Why don't I take you shopping for a fancy dinner dress and   
  
then we can hit the movies?" he added as he helped her onto her feet and pulled   
  
her out the door.  
  
"Yes!" yelled Sera happily as she giggled as raced to get her shoes and   
  
coat on. Jeff chuckled from where he was standing and slowly walked over to   
  
put on his shoes. "Can I get some matching shoes and a purse too?" begged Sera,   
  
giving Jeff a puppy dog face. "He can't say no, this always gets him!" laughed   
  
Sera to herself in her thoughts.  
  
"Yes, you can have whatever you desire princess!" laughed Jeff as he   
  
wrapped his arm around Sera's waist and the couple took off. "Hey Lena, we'll   
  
be back tonight okay?" yelled Jeff just as the door closed behind him. Lena   
  
looked up form her book in her room and smiled, shaking her head as she   
  
continued studying.  
  
"Oh you know what sweetie, they have some really nice Giovanni dresses   
  
that were just brought in last week!" piped Sera with a smile that caused her   
  
eyes to twinkle slightly. Jeff looked over at her and smiled as he turned the   
  
engine of his Lexus convertible on and headed to the shopping center. "So, is   
  
this a really fancy dinner, or are we just eating at some fancy restaurant?"   
  
asked Sera as she entwined her hands into Jeff's free hand, looking up at him   
  
with a smile.  
  
"Let's just say that it'll be a night you won't forget," answered Jeff   
  
with a chuckle, knowing full well that Sera hated secrets. "I'm going to find   
  
the perfect ring for her, and then tomorrow night I'll propose," thought Jeff to   
  
himself, smiling even brighter.  
  
"What are you up to honey? Why do you have that huge smile on your face?   
  
C'mon, tell me!" whined Sera as she squeezed his hand even tighter. "Pretty   
  
please?" she begged, giving him a sad face. Jeff laughed and shook his head as   
  
he pulled into the parking lot.  
  
"Let's go find that dress baby," replied Jeff as he pulled Sera out of her   
  
seat and guided her to the Giovanni store and locked his car behind them. "So,   
  
what sort of dress would you like my fair maiden?" inquired Jeff as he sorted   
  
through the various styles of dresses. "I say you go for something black and   
  
sexy," whispered Jeff into Sera's ears, causing a blush to rise to her cheeks as   
  
she pinched his side.  
  
"Behave yourself!" laughed Sera as she ran off to look at dresses, with   
  
Jeff following close behind. Several minutes later, Jeff was sitting outside a   
  
dressing stall while Sera was inside trying on the dresses she'd pick out.   
  
"Honey, do you do a pastel color would be alright? Or should I stick with darrk   
  
and formal?" asked Sera as she stepped out of the stall. She had on an elegant   
  
pastel pink colored gown that came down to her ankles, showing off her slender   
  
form with a low cut in the back.  
  
"Hmm… I think that one looks very cute and sexy, but that's not what I had   
  
in mind for tomorrow night," admitted Jeff as he winked at Sera as she went back   
  
in to try on the next. After several other gowns, al with Jeff's disapproval,   
  
Sera stepped out in a black ankle length gown that looked stunning on her. The   
  
front was very low cut, but the center was covered with beads as to not reveal   
  
too much skin or cleavage, it was a spaghetti strap dress that hugged her form   
  
perfectly but not too tight. "That one! It's perfect!" said Jeff, jumping up   
  
to get a better look as Sera spun around for him.  
  
"I like this one too, it's formal and elegant, but not too much," added   
  
Sera as she winked at Jeff. "So we'll take this one?" she asked, cocking her   
  
head to the side and smiling at him. Jeff laughed and nodded his head, placing   
  
a kiss on her forehead.  
  
"Actually, we're taking all of them, you can keep it for any events you   
  
might need to attend with me in the future," admitted Jeff, as he gathered the   
  
gowns up and headed over to the counter. "Go ahead and change back princess,   
  
bring that one up to the front desk when you're done," he yelled back at Sera as   
  
he headed up to the clerks. "I'll be taking all of these, and can you please   
  
have them wrapped in a box please. My fiancé has another dress that we'll need   
  
tomorrow night, so can you keep it on the hanger?" asked Jeff looking at the   
  
clerk with a smile. "But don't tell her that I called her my fiancé just yet, I   
  
plan on asking her that tonight," he added, just to make sure they don't slip   
  
and spill his secret before he had the chance.  
  
"Sure thing, Mr. Timmons," replied the ladies behind the counter together.   
  
They all tried very hard to hide the giggle in their voices as Sera walked up to   
  
the counter with the other dress. "Will this be all for you sir?" asked the   
  
clerk at the register. She took the dress and placed a bag over the dress with   
  
the hanger and gave it back to   
  
Jeff. "The total for you Mr. Timmons will be $3,000, sir," replied the clerk as   
  
she finished wrapping the other dresses in the box for him.  
  
"Wow, that's a lot for just a few dresses," whispered Sera as she turned   
  
and gave Jeff an apologetic look. "Sorry I'm so expensive honey," she whispered   
  
into his ears and tightened her grip on his hand. After signing the credit card   
  
slip, Jeff and Sera went to look for shoes and then to see a movie together. On   
  
their way home, Jeff stopped by a department store to pick up his package that   
  
was flown in from Paris.  
  
The next day, Sera and Jeff both did everything they had on their schedule   
  
and then got ready for their dinner date together. Jeff had already told Lena   
  
that he was going to propose to her tonight, so Lena was extremely happy the   
  
entire day, which confused Sera to a point where she almost lost it. Anyway,   
  
the two got ready and headed out for their dinner reservation together. Jeff   
  
went wall out, limousine and everything, down the dozen roses too!  
  
"So, does this all make up for not being able to spend enough time with   
  
your dear?" asked Jeff as he wrapped Sera's arm in his as they stepped out of   
  
the limo and walked into a French restaurant. Sera smiled up at him and nodded   
  
her head as they were guided to their table in a small private corner with a   
  
view of the scenery.  
  
"Hey, you've outdone yourself on this one honey, what's the deal?" asked   
  
Sera with a curious look in her eye. "I know you're up to something Jeff   
  
Timmons, so you better spill now," warned Sera with a slight giggle in her   
  
voice. Jeff laughed inwardly at   
  
Sera's reaction and behavior and proceeded to shake his head and order diner and   
  
some wine for them to eat. After dinner was served, Sera somehow seemed to   
  
forget her question and concentrated on staring out the window while eating her   
  
dinner.  
  
"Sera?" asked Jeff as he whipped his mouth with a napkin and got up form   
  
his seat. Sera looked up confused and proceeded to get up too, only to be sat   
  
back down by Jeff. "Can I ask you a question sweetie?" asked Jeff quietly as he   
  
looked her in the eyes.  
  
"Anything honey, what's wrong?" Sera asked quickly, concerned about what   
  
was wrong. "Is everything okay sweetheart?" she added, looking very worried.  
  
"Everything is fine love, I just want to ask you something very   
  
important," replied Jeff, trying to calm her down. He reached into his pocket   
  
and pulled out a tiny black velvet box and held it in his palm. "Will you, Sera   
  
Jacobs, please give me the honor of having you as my wife?" asked Jeff as he   
  
opened the box and presented a beautiful 2-karat diamond ring to her.  
  
"Oh my god…"whispered Sera as tears sprung to her eyes. She smiled down   
  
at Jeff as the tears began to find their way down her cheeks. "Yes," said Sera   
  
as she laughed and jumped down into Jeff's unsuspecting arms, knocking him over   
  
a little.  
  
"Yes?" questioned Jeff still a little shock as Sera threw herself into his   
  
arms. "Oh god, she said yes!" shouted Jeff in his mind as he tightened his arms   
  
around Sera and smiled back at her. "I love you Sera," whispered Jeff as he   
  
pulled away from her and placed the ring onto her awaiting finger.  
  
"And I love you Jeff…" responded Sera as she pulled him towards her and   
  
kissed him. Jeff stood up and pulled Sera up with him and began twirling her   
  
around in his arms. Sera giggled and held onto Jeff even tighter.  
  
"She said YES!!" shouted Jeff happily, causing everyone to turn their   
  
attention to the couple and a round of claps could be heard all over the   
  
restaurant. Sera and Jeff looked at each other happily, as they shared a   
  
passionate kiss. Afterwards, Jeff told the owner to add the dinner to his tab   
  
and he would be back in the morning to pay it, because he was now on his way   
  
home to tell everyone their good news.  
  
"Hey Lena! We're home!" yelled Sera loudly, still giggling in Jeff's   
  
arms. Sera ran towards Lena's room and went inside to tell her about the   
  
engagement. "Lena, wake up! Look, Jeff proposed to me!" shouted Sera happily   
  
as she shook her little sister out of her sleep. She sat back and laughed at   
  
her tactics, since they weren't working.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. I already knew that Sera!" replied Lena, yawning as she got   
  
up and smiled back at the shocked Sera. The two girls hugged and headed out to   
  
the living room where Jeff was sitting on the phone talking to the guys.   
  
"Congratulations big bro!" shouted Lena happily as she ran and gave her big   
  
brother a hug. "I guess now you two really are my older brother and sister!"   
  
she added, laughing cheerily.  
  
~3 Months Later~  
  
"Wow, can you believe we'll be graduating soon?" asked Nick as he and Drew   
  
were leaving a store with the graduation cap and gowns in hand. Right behind   
  
them were Justin and Lena, trying to get Sera and Jeff to hurry it up, because   
  
Nick and Drew were already ahead of them. Nick turned around and laughed as he   
  
saw Sera and Jeff being dragged away form each other by Lena and Justin. "Good   
  
grief, they'd only been engaged three months and they're still in that shocked   
  
mode," laughed Nick as he shook his head and stopped Drew to wait for the rest.  
  
"Hey guys! Thanks for not waiting for us!" shouted an angry Lena as she   
  
punched Nick in the arm lightly. "You guys have no idea how hard it is to get   
  
these two to concentrate on walking instead of each other!" she added with a   
  
loud sigh, leaning against Nick's arm.  
  
"Hey! Get your acts together, we're graduating in like one week!" yelled   
  
Drew, turning around to smile at Jeff and Sera, who were sticking their tongues   
  
out at them. He shook his head and laughed as they all walked towards their   
  
cars.  
  
~Graduation Day~  
  
"Yes! We did it!" yelled an extremely happy Lena as she jumped into   
  
Nick's arms and hugged him. The two had just started dating a month ago, and   
  
were very happy together. Lena leaned over and kissed Nick on the lips and   
  
laughed as he let her go and the two ran off to find the others.  
  
"Lena! Aren't you so glad this is all over girl?!" shouted Sera happily,   
  
standing beside Jeff who had his arms around her waist. "I guess now we can all   
  
get ready for that International tour huh?" she asked with a smile on her face   
  
as the guys all turned to look at her and groaned. Sera laughed as she turned   
  
and hid her face in Jeff's chest, knowing how much the guys hated practicing.  
  
"No, actually, we're going to go ahead with the wedding next month!" said   
  
Jeff happily, shocking Sera out of his arms. He smiled down at her and pulled   
  
her in for a big kiss as he wrapped his arms around her.  
  
"Oh my god! Next month! Why did you not talk to me about this? Do you   
  
know how little time we have to prepare this wedding Jeff?!" shouted a frantic   
  
Sera as she raced over to Lena. "Damn, we have to hurry and find you a bride's   
  
maids gown and get tuxedos fitted for you all of you guys. Man, this is so   
  
frustrating, look what you did honey!" whined an upset Sera, as she pouted and   
  
slapped Jeff lightly on the chest.  
  
"It's okay sweetie, Lena and the guys helped me with all the plans   
  
already, all that's left is your gown honey," admitted Jeff as he grabbed Sera   
  
and held her still.  
  
"Oh god, did you see the look on your face Sera, it was Kodak!" laughed   
  
Lena as she leaned into Nick and wrapped her arms around his arms on her   
  
stomach. Everyone laughed and they all headed out to celebrate.  
  
That's all for now! Good? Bad? Send me some flames if you've got any so far!   
  
Until next time minna-chan! Ja Ne! 


	6. Six

A.N. ::laughs evilly:: Gosh, aren't I the stinker? Well, on with my little   
  
tale of love!  
  
No Turning Back~  
  
It's been two weeks since everyone graduated, Sera and Jeff have found the   
  
perfect wedding gown for Sera, and things were all set to go for the big day.   
  
All that was left was to figure out whom to invite.  
  
"Honey, aren't you going to invite your parents? I mean, you've already   
  
met mine, but I've never met yours. Not to mention, you've never talked about   
  
them," asked Jeff as he looked through the invitations. Sera's back   
  
straightened at the thought of her parents. She hadn't called them in so long,   
  
and she missed them dearly. "Honey?" said Jeff, trying to get Sera's attention.  
  
"Yeah, I'll call them right now," replied Sera as she got up and headed   
  
towards the phone. She dialed up her old home phone number and waited for the   
  
operator to put her call through. "Hello? Mom?" asked Serena quietly as she   
  
held the phone tightly in her hands. "Yes, I'm fine, sorry I haven't called in   
  
so long. But, listen, I want you and daddy to come visit me in the U.S. and   
  
don't forget to bring Sammy and his girlfriend okay mom?" responded Serena as   
  
she looked back at Jeff and smiled faintly at him.  
  
"Of course dear, but what every for? And why did you not tell your dad   
  
and I that you moved there?" asked Irene, curious as to what here daughter was   
  
doing in the United States. "By the way, your old friends keep calling to see   
  
if you've come home or not," informed Irene quietly.  
  
"Yeah well, I'll explain everything later okay mom. But I'll buy the   
  
tickets for you, just go to the airport and give them your passports, and you'll   
  
be on the plane in no time okay mom?" answered Serena, trying to avoid the   
  
topic. "Oh yeah, and mom?" asked Serena suddenly. "I'm getting married, that's   
  
why you're coming over here, to take part in my wedding mom," admitted Serena,   
  
letting a small sigh escape her lips. The two talked a little more and caught   
  
up on news and then hung up, saying they'll see each other in a week.  
  
"Well, sounds like that went great, I'm excited to be meeting your parents   
  
honey," said Jeff with a smile form behind her, as he wrapped his arms around   
  
her waist.  
  
"Yeah, me too, I'm glad you reminded me. It's been way too long, besides,   
  
you'll love my little brother!" laughed Sera as she went back to the   
  
invitations.  
  
~Wedding Day~  
  
"Serena Jacobs, do you take Jeffrey Timmons to be your lawfully wedded   
  
husband?" asked the priest as he looked at Sera with a smile on his face.  
  
"I do," responded Serena, glad to finally hear the question after what   
  
seemed like an eternity.  
  
"And do you, Jeffrey Timmons, take Serena Jacobs to be your lawfully   
  
wedded wife?" continued the priest after he repeated the entire question as he   
  
did with Serena. Finally, they would be married and get to have the wedding   
  
they didn't finish a thousand years ago.  
  
"I do," replied Jeff, looking Sera in the eye as he turned to her and   
  
smiled. The bride and groom exchanged vows and slid their wedding bands on and   
  
the priest finally announced them husband and wife. Everyone at the cathedral   
  
cheered as the two came together in a warm and passionate kiss.  
  
"So... Mr. Timmons, how's it feel to be committed?" asked Serena as she   
  
smiled up at her husband as his grip on her waist tightened.  
  
"Good!" laughed Jeff as he grabbed her and kissed her again. Afterwards,   
  
the two left the cathedral and headed over to the building where the reception   
  
was being held.  
  
"Excuse me!" shouted Nick as he got up on stage and signaled the guys to   
  
grab Jeff and get him on stage. "We, the boys of 98 Degrees, would like to   
  
dedicate this song to our friend Jeff and his newly wedded wife Sera! It is a   
  
symbol of how much she means to him!" yelled Nick as the guys all gathered   
  
together on stage in front of the microphone. The lights dimmed down as one was   
  
shone on Jeff and another on Serena.  
  
"This one is for you honey," whispered Jeff into the microphone as the   
  
music started up and the guys began to sing.  
  
Verse   
  
The loneliness of nights so long   
  
The search for strength to carry on   
  
My every hope had seemed to die   
  
My eyes had no more tears to cry   
  
Then like the sun shined from up above   
  
You surrounded me with your endless love   
  
And all the things I couldn't see   
  
Are now so clear to me   
  
  
  
Jeff walked off stage and headed over to where Sera was sitting and smiled   
  
at her as he pulled her onto the dance floor and sang to her while they danced   
  
together.  
  
Chorus   
  
You are my everything   
  
Nothing your love won't bring   
  
My life is yours alone   
  
The only love I've ever known   
  
Your spirit pulls me through   
  
When nothing else will do   
  
Every night I pray on bended knee   
  
That you will always be   
  
My everything   
  
  
  
"I love you," whispered Serena as she looked into her husband's eyes and   
  
wrapped her arms tighter around his neck and kissed him lightly on the lips.  
  
Verse   
  
Now all my hopes and all my dreams   
  
Are suddenly reality   
  
You've opened up my heart to feel   
  
The kind of love that's truly real   
  
A guiding light that'll never fade   
  
There's not a thing in life that I would ever trade   
  
For the love you give and won't let go   
  
I hope you'll always know   
  
"I love you too," whispered Jeff as he and the guys repeated the chorus   
  
together once more before a short bridge and they started singing again.  
  
  
  
You're the breath of life in me   
  
The only one that sets me free   
  
And you have made my soul complete   
  
For all time   
  
For all time  
  
Chorus   
  
  
  
"Congratulations Jeff and Sera!" shouted everyone as they all got up and   
  
popped little whine bottles filled with streamers into the air and laughed. The   
  
rest of the night was spent dancing and singing and celebrating Jeff and Sera's   
  
new life together.  
  
"Well, it's late guys, we thank you all for coming and appreciate the   
  
gifts you gave us," said a slightly drunk Jeff as he leaned against Sera for   
  
support. "We have to catch our plane to Hawaii now, bye guys!" yelled Jeff   
  
happily as he grabbed Sera and ran towards the limo waiting outside to take them   
  
to the private jet awaiting them at the airport. "Behave while I'm gone!" he   
  
shouted as Sera laughed and shoved him into the limo and waved good-bye to   
  
everyone before the limo took off.  
  
~Back From the Honey Moon~  
  
"Wow, what a vacation," thought Sera as she plopped down onto their bed   
  
and lay down to get some rest. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that jet   
  
lag honey," whispered Sera as she closed her eyes and snuggled into her pillow.   
  
{A.N. Oh, did I forget to mention that Jeff and Serena got their own house?   
  
::giggles:: guess I left that out huh? Well, it's huge with an indoor pool and   
  
like 5 bedrooms! ::sighs:: my dream house!}  
  
"Sweetheart, aren't you going to at least change into something more comfy   
  
before you sleep?" asked Jeff as he smiled, looking at his wife sleeping so   
  
peacefully. Shaking his head, he went into their closet and put their luggage   
  
away, making sure to remember to unpack later. "Honey?" called Jeff as he sat   
  
down beside Sera, trying to wake her up. "C'mon baby, how about I run you a   
  
warm bath so you can relax and clean up?" asked Jeff, getting up to prepare a   
  
warm bath for Sera.  
  
"How bout your join me?" asked Sera as she wrapped her tired arms around   
  
Jeff and leaned against his back. She peeked over his shoulder and gave him a   
  
quick kiss before smiling at him, remembering the nights they shared together in   
  
Hawaii. "Just like old times?" suggested Sera, looking like a vixen.  
  
"No sweetie, I have to call and tell everyone we're back and then make   
  
dinner for you," replied Jeff, kissing his wife lightly on the cheek. "I wish I   
  
could baby, but you remember the doctor's orders, you have to eat and rest up,"   
  
added Jeff as he went to get her a bathrobe and some towels. "So, what do you   
  
want to eat for tonight? Anything for my sick baby," whispered Jeff as he   
  
kissed Sera on the forehead and put the towels near the Jacuzzi.  
  
"Darn, I was hoping I wouldn't have to take that nasty medicine anymore,"   
  
frowned Sera as she pouted and went and took her jewelry off. She placed her   
  
wedding ring on a small satin pillow laying in a basket on the sink, beside her   
  
tear-shaped diamond earrings and matching necklace.  
  
"Honey, I know you hate this stuff, but I don't want you getting sick like   
  
you did a few days ago," replied Jeff as he hugged Sera and kissed her neck   
  
gently. They spent an entire month in Hawaii and just as it was ending, Sera   
  
got awfully sick, and they weren't sure why. "So, I'll leave you to your warm   
  
bath princess, and dinner will be waiting for you when you are done love," Jeff   
  
told her as he left the bathroom and shut the door behind him.  
  
"I wonder why I've been feeling so sick lately?" Serena asked herself as   
  
she lay down and relaxed against the warm water. "I mean, I eat normally, and I   
  
get enough rest every night. So why do I get sick to my stomach sometimes?" she   
  
thought as she closed her eyes and let the water ease her tense mind. Just   
  
then, she sat up and placed a hand on her stomach. "Oh my god, why didn't I   
  
think of this sooner?" said Serena as she got out of the bath quickly and went   
  
to find Jeff.  
  
~Doctor's Office~  
  
"Well, Mrs. Timmons, looks like your hypothesis was right," informed the   
  
Gynecologist as she smiled at the couple. "You're pregnant, so I suggest you   
  
get some rest," replied the Gyno as she started filling out some prenatal   
  
prescriptions for Sera. "Just start taking this pillls daily and eat healthy   
  
and you should be feeling a little bit better soon. The morning sickness might   
  
or might not go away this first month, but it'll be okay right?" she smiled at   
  
Sera as she handed the prescriptions to Jeff. "I'll be seeing you in one month   
  
alright Mrs. Timmons?" asked the Gyno as she led Sera and Jeff to the door.   
  
Jeff nodded and thanked her as he helped Sera out of the clinic.  
  
"Wow," was all Serena could say as Jeff helped her into her seat and got   
  
in the car as well. "Is this for real?" asked Sera, turning to Jeff with a   
  
smile. "Are you scared or psyched honey?" she asked with a faint smile on her   
  
face.  
  
"I'm excited sweetie," answered Jeff squeezing Sera's hand, while he drove   
  
them back home. Back at the house, Lena and the guys were all waiting for them   
  
to return. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. Lena called and said that she and the   
  
guys will be waiting for us at home to see how you're doing now," added Jeff as   
  
he turned into the street where they lived and greeted the security guard as he   
  
drove pass the entrance gate.  
  
"I haven't seen Lena in a while, I'll be happy to see her again,"   
  
whispered Serena as she closed her eyes and waited for Jeff to pull into the   
  
front driveway. A soft tap was felt on her shoulder as she opened her eyes to   
  
find Jeff already at her side waiting to help her out of her seat. "How sweet,   
  
such a gentleman," laughed Sera as Jeff closed the door behind her and led her   
  
towards their house.  
  
"Serena!" shouted an extremely happy Lena as she ran and gave Sera a huge   
  
hug. "Welcome back! I hope you're feeling better, sorry to hear you got sick   
  
on your honeymoon, must've been a bummer huh?" asked Lena still holding onto   
  
Sera tightly.  
  
"Lena Johnson, you let go of my pregnant wife before you hurt her!"   
  
shouted Jeff as he laughed at the expression on her face when she jumped away   
  
from Sera.  
  
That's all for now! See you next chapter! ::runs away giggling:: I just love   
  
shocking endings! 


	7. Seven

Well, I guess this is where all the conflicts take place huh? Or maybe I can   
  
save it for the next chapter? Anyway, let's get on with the story and see what happens!  
  
No Turning Back~  
  
~End Flash Back~  
  
Okay, so here's my problem now. I'm almost 24 years old, pregnant and   
  
married to a famous singer. Well, that's not the problem. The thing is, I   
  
promised I'd make it up to Mina for leaving her. So here I am, sitting in my   
  
hotel room, still trying to figure a way of talking to Mina without the others   
  
finding out who I am.  
  
"Serena, what are you thinking about?" asked Lena, sitting down beside me.   
  
I look at her a smile as I pull out a picture of Mina and I from our high school   
  
graduation. "Hey, is that you and that blonde chick we saw two days ago?" she   
  
asked leaning over to get a better view.  
  
"Yeah, she and I were the best of friends, we did everything together," I   
  
told Lena quietly, sitting back to relax my tired body. "I've missed her so   
  
badly these past two years," I admitted, looking away from the picture with   
  
tears in my eyes. "I just wish I could talk to her again and explain why I left   
  
without the others finding out," I sighed, looking back at Lena as she smiled at   
  
me.  
  
"You know, I could arrange a little meeting with her for you if you'd   
  
like," replied Lena quietly, trying to cheer me up. "I mean, the girls are   
  
flying in to spend some time with us, so we could all hang out and get to know   
  
each other better!" said Lena happily, winking at me as she leaned over to hug   
  
me. "It was Nick's idea, he thought it would help you ease up a little," she   
  
added. Just then Jeff entered our room with Nick following close behind after   
  
shutting the door.  
  
"Feeling any better honey?" asked Jeff as he sat down beside me, rubbing   
  
my stomach to help my stress. I found that every time he places his hands on my   
  
tummy, I feel so much more at ease afterwards, isn't that just the weirdest   
  
thing you've ever heard? But I guess that's how it is, since I am pregnant with   
  
his child.  
  
"Yeah, lots not that you're here," I told him, smiling as he leaned over   
  
and kissed my forehead. I just love it when he does that! I laugh inwardly to   
  
myself as Jeff sits down behind me and wraps his arms around my body gently.   
  
"You know what honey, I've decided that I want to meet up with Mina and have a   
  
long talk with her. Do you think that'll be okay?" I asked my husband, turning   
  
slightly around to look at him.  
  
"Nick, are the girls here yet?" Jeff asked, completely ignoring my   
  
question. Nick nodded his head and finally Jeff looked down at me. "I suppose   
  
so honey, if that's what you really want," he finally answered me after sighing   
  
and pulling me in closer.  
  
"Okay, so I'll give Mina a call and the girls and I can bring her back to   
  
the hotel to meet Sera here so she won't have to go anywhere!" piped up Lena as   
  
she bounded towards the door, pulling Nick along with her. "Hey, where are the   
  
girls anyway?" she asked as they were leaving the room.  
  
"You know, Mina can be trusted sweetie," I whispered to Jeff as I placed   
  
my arms on top of his and leaned back against him. When I didn't hear him say   
  
anything, I craned my neck back a little and saw that he was fast asleep.   
  
"Sleep well baby," I whispered, kissing him on the lips as I pulled myself out   
  
of his arms and put a blanket on him. Getting up, I walked over to our balcony   
  
and looked out the window.  
  
It's been a while now since Sailor Moon has disappeared from this busy   
  
little town, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to check up on it just to make sure to   
  
Negaverse are still looming around. A little while ago, I received a different   
  
identity in order to protect this world. I am the current Sailor Sun-Star,   
  
seeing as how my husband is the Sun Knight, it is only natural I be his partner   
  
in saving our world.  
  
"Sun-Star Crystal... Power Up!" I yelled silently to myself as I closed   
  
the balcony doors behind me, hoping I don't wake Jeff up. My sailor suit is   
  
still the same as before, with a few minor changes. Instead moon charms on my   
  
earrings, choker, and boots; there is a sun with a star dangling from its   
  
corner. My skirt is a dark yellow that contrasts with my yellow and silver bow   
  
in the front of back of my sailor suit. "Wow, I guess it is a little tight now   
  
that I'm almost four months pregnant," I thought as I tugged on the suit. I   
  
leapt of the building onto the roof of another and watched the city silently.  
  
"She's at it again, after I've clearly told her not to," said Jeff,   
  
getting up from the bed and walking out to the balcony. "You know, sometimes I   
  
wonder if she remembers if she's pregnant or not," Jeff thought to himself as he   
  
snapped his fingers and became the Sun Knight, wearing a suit of golden armor   
  
underneath a white cape. "Okay, let's go find the missing princess," he told   
  
himself as he went after his wife.  
  
Sitting atop the Tokyo Tower's rooftop, Sera just looked down at the   
  
lights below her, thinking about how she used to wander the streets at night   
  
with her friends. It can be quite hard on a girl's soul when two of your   
  
friends say you're worthless while another sits back and allows them to say all   
  
those harsh things to you, but to lose one just because you had to get away was   
  
even harder. "Oh Mina," whispered Sailor Sun-Star, as a tear slipped down her   
  
cheek.  
  
"It's late princess, what are you doing out and powered up?" inquired the   
  
Sun Knight, looking down at his wife. "Honey, I know you miss Mina. And I   
  
promise you that I'm doing all I can to make sure that you and her get to spend   
  
time together," replied Jeff, sitting down beside Sera and pulling her close to   
  
him. "I just want to make sure you'll be safe alone," he added, kissing the top   
  
of her head.  
  
"I know honey, I just wish I didn't have to cut her off from my life just   
  
because of them," replied Sera quietly, turning to hug Jeff. "Let's go home, I   
  
think the baby doesn't like me being in a sailor suit," whispered Sera, giggling   
  
as she pointed out how tight the suit was on her tummy. Jeff laughed and   
  
scooped her up into his arms and carried her back to the hotel.  
  
~Meeting Mina~  
  
"Mina, I want you to remain calm when you see her okay, she's under a lot   
  
of stress," informed Lena, looking back at Mina who was walking behind her and   
  
the girls. Kayla and Lillian were both giving Mina a weird look as she gawked   
  
at them oddly. Nina and Stacy couldn't help but giggle at Mina's reaction to   
  
finding out that she would be meeting Jeff Timmons wife as well as 98 Degrees in   
  
person.  
  
"I still don't understand why she wants to see me," asked Mina, scratching   
  
her head with a smile on her face. "I mean, I'm grateful to be seeing the band,   
  
but what am I to her?" she asked, giving Lena a confused look.  
  
"Well, lets just say you are in for a surprise," replied Lena as they   
  
entered a suite. "Why don't you girls go get Sera some drinks and snacks for   
  
her guest," ordered Lena as she pointed at a chair for Mina to sit in and wait.   
  
"Catch you later V," whispered Lena, letting Mina hear her on purpose.  
  
"Hey!" shouted Mina standing up from her seat. "Why did she call me V?   
  
Only the scouts call me that," thought Mina as she looked around cautiously.  
  
"It's been a while Mina," whispered a female figure from the balcony. The   
  
woman came back into the suite, and to Mina's surprise, it was Serena. "Yes,   
  
it's me, I've come back Mina. So stop staring silly," laughed Serena as she   
  
walked over and hugged Mina tightly. "I'm sorry I left without so much as a   
  
good bye to you," said Serena as she pulled away from Mina, who was still   
  
speechless.  
  
"Is it really you Sere?" asked Mina, reaching up to touch Serena's face.   
  
She laughed and jumped into Serena and hugged her even tighter. A slight noise   
  
came from Serena's lips making Mina release her. "Oh sorry, can't breath   
  
probably," whispered Mina shyly, backing away from Serena.  
  
"No, it's not that. You just pressed down on my stomach a little, and I   
  
guess it sort of hurt," answered Sera, rubbing her swollen stomach.  
  
"Whoa! That wasn't there a sec ago," thought Mina in her mind. "What on   
  
Earth happened to her?" she asked herself, giving Sere a weird look. "Um,   
  
Serena? What happened to your stomach?" asked Mina, looking down at Serena's   
  
protruding tummy.  
  
"Oh that!" laughed Serena casually, as if it were nothing. "I'm pregnant   
  
silly!" she replied, sitting down slowly.  
  
"Um okay, with whose child?" questioned Mina. "I don't recall you being   
  
married Serena Jacobs!" replied Mina frantically.  
  
"Mina, chill. I married Jeff almost five months ago," answered Sera,   
  
trying to calm Mina down.  
  
"Jeff?" asked Mina, looking very much confused.  
  
"Yes, Jeff. As in Jeff Timmons on 98 Degrees," replied Sera, smiling.  
  
"You married a 98 Degrees guy?!" yelled Mina, freaking out. "Gosh, that   
  
means you're famous too?" she asked, looking over at Serena.  
  
"No, I'm just married to a famous person, that doesn't make me famous   
  
too," answered Sera, laughing quietly.  
  
The two spent the next two hours talking about the past and present. Lena   
  
and the other girls eventually joined them after Sera called them back into her   
  
room. Soon, the seven ladies were shopping and enjoying themselves all over   
  
Tokyo. Afterwards, they headed over to the area where 98 Degrees was   
  
practicing, so Sera could talk to Jeff about getting Mina an autograph from all   
  
the guys and a backstage pass as well.  
  
~Day of Concert~  
  
"Hey guys, you ready to have the time of your lives?!" asked Raye as she   
  
and Chad met up with everyone at the arcade. Raye had somehow convinced Darien   
  
to come along as well, since he never got out. So she and Chad were both riding   
  
with Darien in his car. Andrew was taking Mina and his little sister Liz. Greg   
  
and Amy were riding with Lita and Ken in their car.  
  
"I'm psyched, this is going to be awesome!" yelled Mina happily form her   
  
seat. Everyone nodded and soon they all piled out of the arcade and into three   
  
cars.  
  
~98 Degrees Concert~  
  
"Hey boys, you ready for a couple long hours of singing your hearts out?"   
  
asked Mike cheerily, as the four guys all glared dagger back at him. He laughed   
  
and walked off stage, letting the guys practice a little before the concert   
  
began.  
  
"Honey! Come here a sec will you?" yelled Jeff as he put on his   
  
microphone headset and plugged it in. Sera walked over to him and helped him   
  
straighten his shirt before smiling up at him. "I want you to sing with me   
  
tonight okay? Just one song?" he asked, pulling her hands up to his lips and   
  
kissing them.  
  
"You know I can't go in front of a crowd looking like a balloon honey!"   
  
yelled Sera as she tried to pull her hands free. "No way!" she screamed, afraid   
  
to sing before a stadium full of people.  
  
"Please?" begged Jeff, frowning at her sadly. Moments later, Sera gave in   
  
and agreed. The two would be singing "Always You & I" together on stage, with   
  
the guys backing Jeff up. "Thanks honey, love you!" he shouted as he took off   
  
to find the guys and tell them the news.  
  
Andrew, Mina and Liz arrived at the concert with everyone else following   
  
them to their seats. The concert finally started and 98 Degrees entered with an   
  
explosion. The show was great. They sang "Give Me Just One Night: Una Noche"   
  
first, and then they went on and sang "My Everything" proceeded by "The Way You   
  
Want Me To" and "Stay The Night". Afterwards, the curtains came down to give   
  
the guys a chance to change and get a sip of water.  
  
"Hey guys, I'm going to take Mina and Liz backstage to see my friend   
  
alright? See you guys later!" yelled Andrew as Liz and Mina practically dragged   
  
him away.  
  
"Lucky them!" said Raye, pouting as she saw Mina disappear behind   
  
curtains.  
  
"I wonder how Andrew got those passes," asked Darien curiously.  
  
"Who knows, they just showed up!" replied Lita.  
  
Soon the curtains were drawn back and the crowd got quiet again. Nick,   
  
Drew and Justin all came out first. Just as the music started, Jeff came on   
  
stage followed by a beautiful blonde-haired woman.  
  
"Okay, this song is dedicated to my wife Sera," saidd Jeff suddenly,   
  
pulling Sera up close to him with a smile on her face. She was wearing a   
  
beautiful pink dress that contoured her body just right. The lights dimmed and   
  
music began as Jeff and the guys started to sing their lines.  
  
More next chapter! Bye! 


	8. Eight

Well, I guess this is where all the conflicts take place huh? Or maybe I can   
  
save it for the next chapter? Anyway, let's get on with the story and see what happens!  
  
No Turning Back~  
  
~End Flash Back~  
  
Okay, so here's my problem now. I'm almost 24 years old, pregnant and   
  
married to a famous singer. Well, that's not the problem. The thing is, I   
  
promised I'd make it up to Mina for leaving her. So here I am, sitting in my   
  
hotel room, still trying to figure a way of talking to Mina without the others   
  
finding out who I am.  
  
"Serena, what are you thinking about?" asked Lena, sitting down beside me.   
  
I look at her a smile as I pull out a picture of Mina and I from our high school   
  
graduation. "Hey, is that you and that blonde chick we saw two days ago?" she   
  
asked leaning over to get a better view.  
  
"Yeah, she and I were the best of friends, we did everything together," I   
  
told Lena quietly, sitting back to relax my tired body. "I've missed her so   
  
badly these past two years," I admitted, looking away from the picture with   
  
tears in my eyes. "I just wish I could talk to her again and explain why I left   
  
without the others finding out," I sighed, looking back at Lena as she smiled at   
  
me.  
  
"You know, I could arrange a little meeting with her for you if you'd   
  
like," replied Lena quietly, trying to cheer me up. "I mean, the girls are   
  
flying in to spend some time with us, so we could all hang out and get to know   
  
each other better!" said Lena happily, winking at me as she leaned over to hug   
  
me. "It was Nick's idea, he thought it would help you ease up a little," she   
  
added. Just then Jeff entered our room with Nick following close behind after   
  
shutting the door.  
  
"Feeling any better honey?" asked Jeff as he sat down beside me, rubbing   
  
my stomach to help my stress. I found that every time he places his hands on my   
  
tummy, I feel so much more at ease afterwards, isn't that just the weirdest   
  
thing you've ever heard? But I guess that's how it is, since I am pregnant with   
  
his child.  
  
"Yeah, lots not that you're here," I told him, smiling as he leaned over   
  
and kissed my forehead. I just love it when he does that! I laugh inwardly to   
  
myself as Jeff sits down behind me and wraps his arms around my body gently.   
  
"You know what honey, I've decided that I want to meet up with Mina and have a   
  
long talk with her. Do you think that'll be okay?" I asked my husband, turning   
  
slightly around to look at him.  
  
"Nick, are the girls here yet?" Jeff asked, completely ignoring my   
  
question. Nick nodded his head and finally Jeff looked down at me. "I suppose   
  
so honey, if that's what you really want," he finally answered me after sighing   
  
and pulling me in closer.  
  
"Okay, so I'll give Mina a call and the girls and I can bring her back to   
  
the hotel to meet Sera here so she won't have to go anywhere!" piped up Lena as   
  
she bounded towards the door, pulling Nick along with her. "Hey, where are the   
  
girls anyway?" she asked as they were leaving the room.  
  
"You know, Mina can be trusted sweetie," I whispered to Jeff as I placed   
  
my arms on top of his and leaned back against him. When I didn't hear him say   
  
anything, I craned my neck back a little and saw that he was fast asleep.   
  
"Sleep well baby," I whispered, kissing him on the lips as I pulled myself out   
  
of his arms and put a blanket on him. Getting up, I walked over to our balcony   
  
and looked out the window.  
  
It's been a while now since Sailor Moon has disappeared from this busy   
  
little town, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to check up on it just to make sure to   
  
Negaverse are still looming around. A little while ago, I received a different   
  
identity in order to protect this world. I am the current Sailor Sun-Star,   
  
seeing as how my husband is the Sun Knight, it is only natural I be his partner   
  
in saving our world.  
  
"Sun-Star Crystal... Power Up!" I yelled silently to myself as I closed   
  
the balcony doors behind me, hoping I don't wake Jeff up. My sailor suit is   
  
still the same as before, with a few minor changes. Instead moon charms on my   
  
earrings, choker, and boots; there is a sun with a star dangling from its   
  
corner. My skirt is a dark yellow that contrasts with my yellow and silver bow   
  
in the front of back of my sailor suit. "Wow, I guess it is a little tight now   
  
that I'm almost four months pregnant," I thought as I tugged on the suit. I   
  
leapt of the building onto the roof of another and watched the city silently.  
  
"She's at it again, after I've clearly told her not to," said Jeff,   
  
getting up from the bed and walking out to the balcony. "You know, sometimes I   
  
wonder if she remembers if she's pregnant or not," Jeff thought to himself as he   
  
snapped his fingers and became the Sun Knight, wearing a suit of golden armor   
  
underneath a white cape. "Okay, let's go find the missing princess," he told   
  
himself as he went after his wife.  
  
Sitting atop the Tokyo Tower's rooftop, Sera just looked down at the   
  
lights below her, thinking about how she used to wander the streets at night   
  
with her friends. It can be quite hard on a girl's soul when two of your   
  
friends say you're worthless while another sits back and allows them to say all   
  
those harsh things to you, but to lose one just because you had to get away was   
  
even harder. "Oh Mina," whispered Sailor Sun-Star, as a tear slipped down her   
  
cheek.  
  
"It's late princess, what are you doing out and powered up?" inquired the   
  
Sun Knight, looking down at his wife. "Honey, I know you miss Mina. And I   
  
promise you that I'm doing all I can to make sure that you and her get to spend   
  
time together," replied Jeff, sitting down beside Sera and pulling her close to   
  
him. "I just want to make sure you'll be safe alone," he added, kissing the top   
  
of her head.  
  
"I know honey, I just wish I didn't have to cut her off from my life just   
  
because of them," replied Sera quietly, turning to hug Jeff. "Let's go home, I   
  
think the baby doesn't like me being in a sailor suit," whispered Sera, giggling   
  
as she pointed out how tight the suit was on her tummy. Jeff laughed and   
  
scooped her up into his arms and carried her back to the hotel.  
  
~Meeting Mina~  
  
"Mina, I want you to remain calm when you see her okay, she's under a lot   
  
of stress," informed Lena, looking back at Mina who was walking behind her and   
  
the girls. Kayla and Lillian were both giving Mina a weird look as she gawked   
  
at them oddly. Nina and Stacy couldn't help but giggle at Mina's reaction to   
  
finding out that she would be meeting Jeff Timmons wife as well as 98 Degrees in   
  
person.  
  
"I still don't understand why she wants to see me," asked Mina, scratching   
  
her head with a smile on her face. "I mean, I'm grateful to be seeing the band,   
  
but what am I to her?" she asked, giving Lena a confused look.  
  
"Well, lets just say you are in for a surprise," replied Lena as they   
  
entered a suite. "Why don't you girls go get Sera some drinks and snacks for   
  
her guest," ordered Lena as she pointed at a chair for Mina to sit in and wait.   
  
"Catch you later V," whispered Lena, letting Mina hear her on purpose.  
  
"Hey!" shouted Mina standing up from her seat. "Why did she call me V?   
  
Only the scouts call me that," thought Mina as she looked around cautiously.  
  
"It's been a while Mina," whispered a female figure from the balcony. The   
  
woman came back into the suite, and to Mina's surprise, it was Serena. "Yes,   
  
it's me, I've come back Mina. So stop staring silly," laughed Serena as she   
  
walked over and hugged Mina tightly. "I'm sorry I left without so much as a   
  
good bye to you," said Serena as she pulled away from Mina, who was still   
  
speechless.  
  
"Is it really you Sere?" asked Mina, reaching up to touch Serena's face.   
  
She laughed and jumped into Serena and hugged her even tighter. A slight noise   
  
came from Serena's lips making Mina release her. "Oh sorry, can't breath   
  
probably," whispered Mina shyly, backing away from Serena.  
  
"No, it's not that. You just pressed down on my stomach a little, and I   
  
guess it sort of hurt," answered Sera, rubbing her swollen stomach.  
  
"Whoa! That wasn't there a sec ago," thought Mina in her mind. "What on   
  
Earth happened to her?" she asked herself, giving Sere a weird look. "Um,   
  
Serena? What happened to your stomach?" asked Mina, looking down at Serena's   
  
protruding tummy.  
  
"Oh that!" laughed Serena casually, as if it were nothing. "I'm pregnant   
  
silly!" she replied, sitting down slowly.  
  
"Um okay, with whose child?" questioned Mina. "I don't recall you being   
  
married Serena Jacobs!" replied Mina frantically.  
  
"Mina, chill. I married Jeff almost five months ago," answered Sera,   
  
trying to calm Mina down.  
  
"Jeff?" asked Mina, looking very much confused.  
  
"Yes, Jeff. As in Jeff Timmons on 98 Degrees," replied Sera, smiling.  
  
"You married a 98 Degrees guy?!" yelled Mina, freaking out. "Gosh, that   
  
means you're famous too?" she asked, looking over at Serena.  
  
"No, I'm just married to a famous person, that doesn't make me famous   
  
too," answered Sera, laughing quietly.  
  
The two spent the next two hours talking about the past and present. Lena   
  
and the other girls eventually joined them after Sera called them back into her   
  
room. Soon, the seven ladies were shopping and enjoying themselves all over   
  
Tokyo. Afterwards, they headed over to the area where 98 Degrees was   
  
practicing, so Sera could talk to Jeff about getting Mina an autograph from all   
  
the guys and a backstage pass as well.  
  
~Day of Concert~  
  
"Hey guys, you ready to have the time of your lives?!" asked Raye as she   
  
and Chad met up with everyone at the arcade. Raye had somehow convinced Darien   
  
to come along as well, since he never got out. So she and Chad were both riding   
  
with Darien in his car. Andrew was taking Mina and his little sister Liz. Greg   
  
and Amy were riding with Lita and Ken in their car.  
  
"I'm psyched, this is going to be awesome!" yelled Mina happily form her   
  
seat. Everyone nodded and soon they all piled out of the arcade and into three   
  
cars.  
  
~98 Degrees Concert~  
  
"Hey boys, you ready for a couple long hours of singing your hearts out?"   
  
asked Mike cheerily, as the four guys all glared dagger back at him. He laughed   
  
and walked off stage, letting the guys practice a little before the concert   
  
began.  
  
"Honey! Come here a sec will you?" yelled Jeff as he put on his   
  
microphone headset and plugged it in. Sera walked over to him and helped him   
  
straighten his shirt before smiling up at him. "I want you to sing with me   
  
tonight okay? Just one song?" he asked, pulling her hands up to his lips and   
  
kissing them.  
  
"You know I can't go in front of a crowd looking like a balloon honey!"   
  
yelled Sera as she tried to pull her hands free. "No way!" she screamed, afraid   
  
to sing before a stadium full of people.  
  
"Please?" begged Jeff, frowning at her sadly. Moments later, Sera gave in   
  
and agreed. The two would be singing "Always You & I" together on stage, with   
  
the guys backing Jeff up. "Thanks honey, love you!" he shouted as he took off   
  
to find the guys and tell them the news.  
  
Andrew, Mina and Liz arrived at the concert with everyone else following   
  
them to their seats. The concert finally started and 98 Degrees entered with an   
  
explosion. The show was great. They sang "Give Me Just One Night: Una Noche"   
  
first, and then they went on and sang "My Everything" proceeded by "The Way You   
  
Want Me To" and "Stay The Night". Afterwards, the curtains came down to give   
  
the guys a chance to change and get a sip of water.  
  
"Hey guys, I'm going to take Mina and Liz backstage to see my friend   
  
alright? See you guys later!" yelled Andrew as Liz and Mina practically dragged   
  
him away.  
  
"Lucky them!" said Raye, pouting as she saw Mina disappear behind   
  
curtains.  
  
"I wonder how Andrew got those passes," asked Darien curiously.  
  
"Who knows, they just showed up!" replied Lita.  
  
Soon the curtains were drawn back and the crowd got quiet again. Nick,   
  
Drew and Justin all came out first. Just as the music started, Jeff came on   
  
stage followed by a beautiful blonde-haired woman.  
  
"Okay, this song is dedicated to my wife Sera," saidd Jeff suddenly,   
  
pulling Sera up close to him with a smile on her face. She was wearing a   
  
beautiful pink dress that contoured her body just right. The lights dimmed and   
  
music began as Jeff and the guys started to sing their lines.  
  
More next chapter! Bye! 


	9. Nine

I wonder what song Jeff and Serena are going to sing together? ::giggles and   
  
continues typing:: Ja!  
  
No Turning Back~  
  
Turning to Sera, Jeff smiled at her as he started singing to her. The   
  
other guys started to sing as soon as Jeff began. Serena smiled as Jeff twirled   
  
he and wrapped his arms around her waist and they swayed side to side.  
  
Verse   
  
It's so hard to say   
  
How a love could end this way   
  
The one that used to care for you   
  
Just turned and walked away   
  
And it's so hard to find   
  
To leave the pain behind   
  
When all the things you're lookin' for   
  
Your heart can't seem to find   
  
  
  
"Sing with me," whispered Jeff as he brought Sera in closer so that she   
  
could help him sing the chorus part together with him.  
  
Chorus   
  
I'll be the air that you breathe   
  
I'll be the strength that you need   
  
I'll be the light in your eyes   
  
When hope becomes hard to see   
  
I'll be your shining star   
  
To guide you wherever you are   
  
And I promise that I'll be by your side   
  
Always you and I  
  
Nick, Drew and Justin all began singing with Jeff again as Sera's voice   
  
faded out.  
  
Verse   
  
You know you're not alone   
  
Without a love to call your own   
  
I'll always be right there for you   
  
To help you carry one   
  
A heart that's always true   
  
Girl, I'm giving mine to you   
  
And everything you ever need   
  
I promise I will do   
  
Jeff pulled Sera in front of him and hugged her as he let her sing alone this   
  
time. She sang the chorus to their song beautifully, her voice sounding like an   
  
angel's. After she finished, there was a short bridge before the guys picked up again.  
  
  
  
Girl, in all your sleepless hours   
  
I will make it right   
  
When life feels so wrong   
  
'Cause in my arms is where you belong   
  
Finally, Jeff and Sera both sang the chorus together once more just as   
  
the song was about to end. Sera stopped singing and let Jeff sing the last line   
  
by himself to her. She smiled as she heard him sing, "Always You & I" from   
  
behind her as he wrapped his arms around her waist and smiled out at the crowd.  
  
"Thank you," said the guys as they all walked backstage as Sera and Jeff   
  
takes a bow. Sera blushed as she looked out at the people who were all   
  
whistling and cheering them on.  
  
"I'd like to introduce you all to my wife, Sera Jacobs!" yelled Jeff   
  
loudly as he pointed over at Sera who smiled out at the crowd and waved.  
  
"Sera Jacobs?!" yelled four voices from the crowd, turning to look at one   
  
another. "Serena?!" the yelled all looking up at the blonde womaan beside Jeff   
  
Timmons. From behind the curtains, Mina was laughing her head off at the   
  
reaction the scouts and Tuxedo Mask had after hearing that introduction.  
  
"Well, the guys and I would like to thank you all for coming out to see   
  
our concert! We look forward to seeing some of you backstage in a few moments!"   
  
shouted Jeff as he smiled and walked off stage with Serena in tow.  
  
"You're sweating!" giggled Sera as she reached up and wiped the sweat off   
  
Jeff's forehead for him, receiving a kiss on her lips from him. She blushed and   
  
shook her finger at him saying, "Behave!" With a laugh, she ran off to find   
  
Mina.  
  
In the stadium still, seven people were just standing there talking   
  
amongst themselves. Darien, Raye, Lita and Amy were all talking to one another   
  
about Serena and how they were all going to find a way to talk to her while   
  
Chad, Greg, and Ken stood around waiting for them.  
  
~After Concert~  
  
"Wow, what a night!" said Drew as he let out a deep breath and stretch   
  
before getting into the limo. Justin, Nick and Lena all smiled before stepping   
  
inside. Sera and Jeff were still talking to Mina and Andrew, while Liz stood   
  
there with stars in her eyes, amazed that her brother knew 98 Degrees.  
  
"Well, I'll call you two okay, we can have lunch!" said Sera, laughing as   
  
she hugged Mon and Andrew once more. "Bye Guys!" she added while Jeff shook   
  
hands with Andrew and said bye to them. As they were heading towards the limo,   
  
four people came running up to them.  
  
"Wait!" yelled Amy as she grabbed Sera's hand and turned her around. Sera   
  
look up shocked at Amy and gave them a questioning stare.  
  
"What is it that you wanted?" asked Jeff suddenly, getting in front of Sera.  
  
"We know it's you Serena! Please, at least talk to us!" begged Lita.  
  
"Why should I?" replied Sera silently. "You all didn't believe in me, you   
  
didn't want me or need me, so give me one reason why I should give you a chance   
  
to explain?" she asked solemnly.  
  
"Serena, all we ask is for you to talk to us. So we can apologize for our   
  
behavior. We just want you to forgive us for everything we've done," said   
  
Darien suddenly.  
  
"You of all the people should not be asking for forgiveness," yelled Jeff   
  
as he glared at Darien angrily.  
  
"You don't even know me, so who are you to say anything!" shouted Darien   
  
back at Jeff. He was already peeved off when he heard the guy introduce his   
  
Serena as his wife. The nerve! {A.N. Yeah right! The nerve my @$$}  
  
"I know you rather well Prince Endymion!" yelled Jeff stepping up to   
  
Darien's face. Jeff stood at the same height as Darien, so they were staring   
  
straight at one another.  
  
"And who they hell are you?" asked Darien furiously.  
  
"I'm Prince Solaris of the Sun!" answered an infuriated Jeff.  
  
"Big deal, like I'm supposed to be afraid. Serena belongs to me!" replied   
  
Darien as he tried to get to Serena.  
  
"Shut up! I've had enough of this crap already! Jeff, I want to go back   
  
to the hotel now!" yelled an upset Sera, holding her stomach. Jeff's eyes   
  
softened as he looked down at her hands and he raced back to her side. Darien's   
  
eyes followed suit as he notice Serena's swollen stomach.  
  
"You're pregnant with his child?!" Darien screamed loudly at Serena.  
  
"Oh shove it already! She's happy without you damn it, leave it be!"   
  
shouted Mina back at Darien as she gave him a dirty look and walked off with Liz   
  
and Andrew, who only shook his head.  
  
"Know this, Princess Serenity was always and will always be mine," warned   
  
Jeff calmly as he and Sera got into the limo and took off. Darien stared in   
  
disbelief, unable to speak. Raye and Lita just stared at one another in utter   
  
shock as Amy looked away shamefully.  
  
"Serves us right for treating her like she's below us, some protectors we   
  
are," whispered Amy, walking away from the group with Greg behind her.  
  
~Back @ Hotel~  
  
"Kayla, do me a favor and walk Sera to my room please, she needs to lay   
  
down," Jeff asked as he and everyone else stepped into the suite. Kayla and   
  
Sera both left and someone knocked on the door, it was Mina and Andrew.  
  
"Hey guys, how's Sere doing?" asked Mina as she and Andrew sat down beside   
  
everyone. Jeff looked toward his bedroom with a worried look, which Mina took   
  
as her cue to go check up on Sere after seeing Kayla come out. She knocked on   
  
the door and went in, trying not to disturb Sere. "You okay babe?" she asked   
  
quietly.  
  
"Yeah, I'm okay. Just a little upset, can you believe how childish that   
  
was?" asked Sera with a hand on her stomach as she looked out the window. "I   
  
mean, we're all almost twenty-five and the guys are nearing their thirties, and   
  
still they behave like children!" thought Sera angrily. "I do not understand   
  
where they get off acting like this in front of me!" she yelled, tears streaming   
  
from her eyes.  
  
"It's okay Sere, I'm here for you," replied Mina, holding Sere close to   
  
her. "You must understand princess that Raye and Lita made huge mistakes back   
  
then, I'm not sure if they'll regret doing what they did, but I know Amy does,"   
  
she said truthfully.  
  
"I know, I cannot hold anything against Amy, she's too sincere to be   
  
treated like one of them," answered Sera, looking up at Mina. "Thanks," she   
  
whispered, hugging Mina with a smile.  
  
"How about we call Amy up and the three of us hang out with Lena and the   
  
girls?" suggested Mina, beaming a Victory smile at Sera. "But right now, you   
  
have a very worried husband sitting outside, so why don't you relax and rest   
  
while I send him in to see you okay?" informed Mina with a grin on her face as   
  
she helped Sera lay down.  
  
"Yeah, I kind of need to talk to him right now," admitted Sera quietly.  
  
"Night Princess," whispered Mina, shutting the door behind her. "Hey   
  
Jeff! Your woman would like a word with you," said Mina, winking at Jeff with a   
  
grin as she sat down on Andrew's lap. Jeff carefully went into his bedroom and   
  
sat down beside Sera, who looked as if she were asleep.  
  
"Honey?" said Sera, trying to sit up in a comfortable position.  
  
"Don't move sweetheart, you're good where you're at," whispered Jeff as he   
  
turned and looked down at Sera lovingly. "Are you tired?" he asked her, seeing   
  
her shake her head in response. "I don't want you to stress over this okay?   
  
Think about the baby please," Jeff asked Sera as he took her hand into his and   
  
kissed it.  
  
"I know honey, don't worry. You know I love you, don't ever doubt it,   
  
this baby is proof of my love for you silly," answered Sera, placing his hand   
  
over her stomach. Jeff looked at her face and smiled, leaning over to kiss her.  
  
Outside, everyone was talking about what they were going to do about Raye,   
  
Lita and Darien's attitude towards the princess. "You know, I would really like   
  
to slap Raye, she annoys me," said Lillian, smiling evilly at everyone who   
  
started laughing.  
  
"So true, Lita doesn't act like much of a friend to Sera either," added   
  
Nina, shaking her head.  
  
"Hey, what's up with Amy, she seems so down," whispered Stacy, looking   
  
over at the guys who all shrugged.  
  
"You don't want to know, it's very disappointing," replied Lena sadly.  
  
~At Raye's Temple~  
  
"Damn, can you believe how Serena just blew us off like that?" asked Raye,   
  
upset that Serena didn't even look twice at her.  
  
"She chose that singing nightingale over me!" yelled an angry Darien.  
  
"Yeah well, I do remember her being in love with him first in the Silver   
  
Millennium," admitted Lita quietly.  
  
"So! He died, and then she loved me!" argued Darien.  
  
"Whatever, she only loved you because you two were betrothed stupid!"   
  
screamed Raye, rolling her eyes.  
  
"It doesn't matter, I'll show her that she belongs with me!" thought   
  
Darien.  
  
"Hello? Did you not notice her protruding stomach you imbecile?   
  
She's like pregnant with that guy and married to him!" yelled Lita, smacking   
  
Darien over the head.  
  
"I'll get him out of the picture somehow," thought Darien to himself.   
  
{A.N. Yes, I made Darien a low selfish @s$hole ::laughs:: It's quite funny,   
  
but don't worry, he'll change. Or else I'll beat his sexy a$s down!}  
  
  
  
Cliffhanger!! Oh No! What's Darien going to do?? ::laughs:: 


	10. Ten

Man, I really don't want to make Darien turn into a bad guy, but what am I   
  
supposed to do? ::sighs:: So many problems!!  
  
No Turning Back~  
  
After hearing what Darien just said, Lita sat there quietly thinking back   
  
at all the things she wished had not happened. Honestly, Lita missed Serena   
  
terribly on the inside, but had no idea of how to apologize to her for how she   
  
had mistreated her two years ago.  
  
"You know what Darien, with the way you are acting now, there is no way in   
  
hell that Serena will give you another chance," replied Lita, getting up and   
  
walking towards the door. "I highly doubt you were even half the guy she fell   
  
in love with so many years ago," she added, walking out and leaving him and Raye   
  
in total silence.  
  
"Am I really that terrible to want the woman I love back Raye?" asked   
  
Darien, looking at her questioningly. Over the past two years, Darien has   
  
become more withdrawn from the human world, but it was only because Serena was   
  
not there to make it shine like before.  
  
"Who knows what Lita meant, I for one don't care," replied Raye, leaving   
  
the fire room and Darien alone.  
  
"Fine, I'll prove to Serena that I am still worthy of her love and that   
  
she and I belong together!" thought Darien, looking out the door with more   
  
determination in his eyes than ever before. "Serena and I were engaged in the   
  
Silver Millennium a thousand years ago, she has even died for me! Our love has   
  
to still mean something to her," he said while leaving the temple.  
  
~Back at the Hotel~  
  
"Hey Mina? Are you and Sera going to meet up Amy anytime soon?" asked   
  
Jeff, quietly shutting the door behind him. Sera had finally fallen asleep,   
  
after he had sung to her a few times and begged her to try and get some rest.  
  
"Yeah! I'll call her up when I go home," answered Mina, smiling at a very   
  
tired Jeff. "Hey, why don't you go back in there and go to sleep silly, you've   
  
had a long day," suggested Mina as she pushed Jeff towards his room.  
  
"I would love to be asleep beside my wife, but I have to talk to the guys   
  
about that Darien guy, he doesn't make me feel very safe," replied Jeff as he   
  
looked back towards the room. "I'm not sure if Sera is even safe around him, he   
  
seems very determined to get her back," he whispered the last part quietly.  
  
"You know that Serenity loves you very dearly Solaris, she would never let   
  
herself fall for his meaningless promises again," said Mina, looking at Jeff.  
  
"I know she loves me, but I don't want her or our baby getting hurt in the   
  
process of making Darien see that she and I love each other," responded Jeff,   
  
thinking about his and Sera's unborn child.  
  
"We'll do everything we can to make sure you see your child enter this   
  
world," said Nick as he and the guys all gathered around Jeff. "That's what   
  
friends for Sol," he added, placing a hand on Jeff's shoulder for reassurance.   
  
The other guys all nodded their heads in agreement.  
  
"We've been through so much as the four Imperial Knights in this universe,   
  
so what's a wake-up compared to all the battles we've gone through together?"   
  
said Drew, smiling at Jeff.  
  
"You guys are the best, I'm not sure what or where I would be without you   
  
guys," admitted Jeff quietly as he smiled back at his friends.  
  
"And what about me?" interrupted Sera suddenly, leaning against her   
  
bedroom door with her arms crossed, looking at Jeff curiously. She tilted her   
  
head over and a smile spread across her face as she waited for his answer.  
  
"I wouldn't be alive without you," answered Jeff, taking her into his arms   
  
and kissing her.  
  
"That's more like it," replied Sera as everyone including herself broke   
  
out into laughter. "Anyway, I think tomorrow Mina and the girls will escort me   
  
to the arcade to meet up with Amy and Lita," she added quietly.  
  
"What? Already?" asked a surprised Jeff, looking down at Sera.  
  
"Yeah, I just called them," answered Sera shyly. "Sorry, couldn't wait, I   
  
just miss them so," she admitted.  
  
"I understand," whispered Jeff, wrapping his arms around her tighter.  
  
~At the Arcade~  
  
"I wonder what Serena wanted," asked Amy, sipping her coke. Lita shrugged   
  
as she drank her hot tea.  
  
"I don't know, but I know I'm going to do all I can to win her friendship   
  
back," said Lita silently, as she swiveled the cup of tea around in her hands.   
  
Amy nodded, agreeing to Lita's plan.  
  
"Hey girls!" called out an excited Mina as she sat down beside Lita,   
  
smiling at them. Soon afterwards, five other girls entered the arcade and   
  
looked around. "Lena! Over here!" shouted Mina, waving a hand toward the   
  
girls. The girls all headed over toward their booth and took a seat at a nearby   
  
table.  
  
"Sera said she'll be a little late," Lena told them as she and the other   
  
girls took a seat. "Anyway, I'm Lena, nice to meet you," she said, extending a   
  
hand out to greet Lita and Amy. As soon as she shook hands with the two,   
  
memories of her awoke in Amy and Lita's minds.  
  
"It's nice to see you again too Selena," said Amy, smiling at her. Lita   
  
did as well, getting up to hug Lena.  
  
"I was about to think you two had forgotten me by now," laughed Lena as   
  
she and the girls all smiled at Amy and Lita.  
  
Fifteen minutes later, Sera arrived at the arcade with Jeff in her arms.   
  
"Sorry I'm late! My doctor's appointment got held over a little, but the baby   
  
is doing well!" she replied, sitting down on Jeff's lap.  
  
"So, has the doctor given you a clue of what the baby will be yet?" asked   
  
Lena anxious to find out. She was extremely excited to hear that she is going   
  
to be an aunt, and will be able to buy cute outfits and toys for it, whatever it   
  
turned out to be.  
  
"Not really, give me about three more weeks, it's only my first week into   
  
my fourth month you know!" giggled Sera happily.  
  
"Yeah, but you're getting heavy fast!" laughed Jeff as he wrapped his arms   
  
around her stomach and hugged her.  
  
"Well excuse me! It's not my fault your child is so huge!" pouted Sera as   
  
she tried to get out of Jeff's firm hold on her. "You're so mean sometimes!"   
  
she mumbled, turning away with a frown.  
  
"Oh c'mon honey, I was just joking. I'll love you no matter how big you   
  
get!" replied Jeff trying to apologize, only getting a smack on the head for   
  
saying what he just did.  
  
"Now you think I'm fat!" cried Sera as she got up from the booth and   
  
walked away with tears in her eyes. "I hate being pregnant, nobody thinks I'm   
  
even pretty anymore. I feel like such a blimp!" she mumbled angrily as she sat   
  
down near the counter.  
  
"Great Jeff, look what you just did. As if being pregnant were not enough   
  
stress on her as it is, you just had to tease her about how big she was   
  
getting!" said Lena, shaking her head at her brother. "Sometimes I honestly do   
  
think you lost some brain cells when those guys kidnapped you back then," she   
  
added, laughing as he walked over to Sera sheepishly.  
  
"I'm sorry baby," whispered Jeff, sitting down beside and wrapping an arm   
  
around her shoulder. "I'm just kidding, I know the baby is a lot of stress on   
  
you. You're not happy because you think you're losing your figure, but you'll   
  
always be beautiful in my eyes. Not only because I love you, but having our   
  
baby inside you has given you such a lovely glow," replied Jeff as Sera looked   
  
up at him sadly. He took her in his arms and held her close to him, placing a   
  
light kiss on her forehead.  
  
"I know, I just get so emotional sometimes," answered Sera.  
  
"It's okay, I'll try not to joke around anymore," replied Jeff.  
  
"Okay, Kodak moment over you two! Lets go shopping for some baby   
  
necessities!" shouted Lena excitedly. Jeff and Sera laughed and nodded as   
  
everyone waved bye to Andrew and took off to find things Jeff and Sera would   
  
need sometime in the near future.  
  
"Oh hey look! That is the cutest thing ever!" cried out Mina, running   
  
over to pick up a tiny bassinet decorated with ribbons in every pastel color.   
  
"Aw, how cute. It's even got an adorable little blanket inside!" she said,   
  
showing Sera the white satin blanket with alphabet blocks along the edges.  
  
"Hey, maybe we should get that honey!" replied Sera, pulling Jeff over to   
  
look at it more closely. Lita and Amy were both getting baby books and other   
  
things the baby will need, such as: bottles, pacifiers, bibs, and even those   
  
tiny little feeding spoons!  
  
"Hey Sera! Come look at this!" called out Lena from the Crib aisle.   
  
"You've got to take a look at this crib, it's awesome!" she said, smiling as she   
  
stared at the crib in awe.  
  
"Oh how cute!" cried Sera, as the turned into the aisle and saw the crib.   
  
It had a mobile overhead with fabricated ornaments: a crystal-like Sun in the   
  
center, a star and a moon on each side of the Sun, and four planets separating   
  
each side of the moon and star. "I want this for sure!" cried Sera, smiling as   
  
she pointed at the mobile.  
  
"Honey, you do realize the baby isn't due until we get back to the U.S.   
  
right?" asked Jeff, laughing at Sera's behavior. It was like a child visiting   
  
the toy store for the first time ever!  
  
"Oh about that, I sort of want to have the baby here, so mom can show me   
  
the proper way to care for a newborn," replied Sera, quietly.  
  
"Oh that will be great, she can give me a few pointers too!" said Jeff,   
  
laughing as Sera beamed a smile at him and hugged him tightly.  
  
"Okay, so then we can go ahead and get the crib too then?" thought Sera,   
  
looking at Jeff with pleading eyes. He nodded and she raced off to look for   
  
other items for the baby.  
  
After what seemed like eternity to Jeff, the girls finally decided they   
  
had enough shopping for one day and they all headed back to the hotel with a   
  
truck load of baby things! Jeff shook his head as he entered his bedroom,   
  
followed by nine incredibly hyper women. "Talk about tiring, next time leave me   
  
at the hotel honey," whined Jeff, laying down to get some rest while they   
  
unpacked.  
  
"Whoa! What's with all the boxes?" asked Drew, stepping over some bags   
  
and walking straight into a huge box. "Damn, what is all this junk?" he   
  
grumbled, rubbing his head gently.  
  
"That's not junk, it's all for the baby!" yelled Lena from inside Jeff's   
  
room. "Oh yeah, Sera said she'll kill you if she hears any more rubbish coming   
  
from your mouth about the boxes being crap!" shouted Lena, laughing along with   
  
the other girls.  
  
"Hey honey! Come help us move these things into another room then!"   
  
yelled Nick as he started moving things out of the doorway. Lena came flying   
  
out of Jeff's room and into Nick's arms as soon as she heard his voice. "Wow,   
  
I'm delighted to see you too sweetheart," responded Nick, smiling at her.  
  
"Okay everyone, lets come help the tired singers move these huge boxes of   
  
whatever that's inside!" shouted Justin as he set a few boxes by sofa.  
  
"Um guys, we have to talk," said Jeff, walking out of his room, looking   
  
like he just got run over. The three guys gave him an odd look and all sat down   
  
to listen to what Jeff had to say. "Well, Sera and I are going to be staying   
  
here to learn how to be good parents for the baby from her mother, so I'm not   
  
sure what we're going to do after the baby is born," said Jeff silently.  
  
"That's cool, I sort of like it here anyway. Besides, we do need a   
  
break," thought Justin, leaning back into the sofa. Drew just shrugged while   
  
Nick look sort of shocked.  
  
"Wow, this coming from Mr. We Need To Practice!" said Nick as everyone   
  
started laughing.  
  
"Yeah, I know. I'm trying to fix that problem!" admitted Jeff.  
  
"So, I guess I get the honor of calling Mike and letting him know?" asked   
  
Justin, looking over at Jeff. "Alright, I finally get to tell him to bug off!"   
  
cried Justin after Jeff nodded his head.  
  
A week later a press conference was held and 98 Degrees announced that   
  
they were putting their International Tour on hold for a few months because Jeff   
  
was expecting a new addition to his family. Soon afterward, Sera and Jeff found   
  
a nice cozy condominium for themselves and the rest of the group found a   
  
penthouse with enough room for all eight of them.  
  
~Two Weeks Later~  
  
"Honey, have you decided what color to paint the nursery yet?" asked Jeff   
  
as he finished moving all of their things into their bedroom.  
  
"I don't know yet. I'm going to the doctor's today, I think she said   
  
something about a ultrasound," replied Sera as she finished putting away some   
  
things in the kitchen. As soon as she closed the drawer, Jeff had picked her up   
  
and carried her into their room.  
  
"It's about time," whispered Jeff as he set Sera down on the bed and   
  
leaned and kissed her passionately. "I've sort of missed being able to hold you   
  
really close to me," he added in a husky voice, sending tingles down Sera's   
  
stomach. "I'm not sure if I like being kept away from my wife's body for such   
  
long periods of time," said Jeff, smiling as he gazed into her eyes.  
  
"Sorry, but you don't want to hurt the baby," replied Sera, giggling as he   
  
pouted at her. "Let's go to the doctor's office and find out what I have in   
  
here shall we?" she asked, leaning up a little to kiss him softly.  
  
At the doctor's, Sera had to run through a few check-ups to make sure her   
  
health was stable as well as the baby's. "You're doing great, and you don't   
  
even look like you're in your fifth month!" said the gynecologist, laughing as   
  
Sera pouted saying she was fat. She applied a little gel on Sera's stomach and   
  
rubbed the transducer onto her round tummy.  
  
"That's cold!" cried Sera quietly, jumping slightly as the doctor rubbed   
  
the transducer back and forth over her stomach, trying to pick up an image of   
  
the baby.  
  
"Sorry, it'll be warm in a little, but hold still while I try to get a   
  
clear image," said the doctor, stopping her hand and turning the monitor towards   
  
Sera and Jeff to see. "Okay, everything looks normal here. That's the arms,   
  
and those are the two legs," she pointed out smiling as Jeff gawked at the   
  
screen, amazed at what he saw.  
  
"You know, it's different when we learn about babies, but seeing it is   
  
still unbelievable," responded Jeff quietly, smiling as he kissed Sera's hand.  
  
"So is it a boy or a girl doc?" asked Sera impatiently, still staring at   
  
the screen to see if she saw any other signs of gender for the baby.  
  
"It's a boy Mrs. Timmons. See that right there, well that's the fetus's   
  
genital," said the Gyno frankly. Sera was taken back at the doctor said that so   
  
calmly and Jeff just laughed. Soon the visit was over and the Gyno was giving   
  
Sera a couple vitamin pills to take and some advice for the next month.  
  
"Thanks Doctor, I'll see you next month, if I can still walk that is,"   
  
laughed Sera as she left the clinic with a smile on her face.  
  
"Wow, a boy. I guess that means I should get started painting today   
  
then!" said Jeff all juiced up with energy now. He was excited that he'd get to   
  
see his little boy a few months.  
  
"Honey, don't get too worked up about this. I'll help you paint so you   
  
don't get too tired," replied Sera as he helped her into her seat.  
  
"No, you can't be breathing in any of the paint fumes, it's bad for the   
  
baby!" said Jeff sternly.  
  
"Um okay, then I'll call the guys and ask them to help you," suggested   
  
Sera, reaching for his cell.  
  
"No, I want to do this myself honey. My first real task as a father, you   
  
know," he told her, placing a hand on her stomach.  
  
"Okay," responded Sera, smiling back at him. "What will we name him   
  
then?" she thought, remembering that they never discussed names.  
  
"Don't know, maybe we should ask your parents and mine for some advice,"   
  
said Jeff, shrugging at Sera. "Never thought this far yet," he laughed.  
  
"What about Ryan?" thought Sera, looking over at Jeff questioningly.  
  
"We'll think about this after we get home and I finish painting the   
  
nursery okay sweetheart?" suggested Jeff as he continued driving.  
  
That's all for now guys! Sorry it took so long, I messed up my formats!   
  
Anyway, I won't be writing the next chapter for a while because of final exams   
  
and all for the next week or so. By the time this chapter gets uploaded I'll   
  
probably be done with finals! 


	11. Eleven

Ohayo minna-chan! ::smiles at readers:: sorry it's been a while. I had college   
  
exams to worry about. ::laughs:: And now that I'm all done, I guess I'll be   
  
devoting the rest of my time to writing. Okay, on with the story!  
  
No Turning Back~  
  
  
  
Sera and Jeff finally know what their child will be! And it just so   
  
happens that Jeff is going to be the proud father of a little baby boy! Well,   
  
they just got back from the gyno's office and he's decided to get started   
  
painting the nursery so he can start moving the baby's things into the room.   
  
Now the only problem is they have to come up with an appropriate name for their   
  
first son!  
  
"Honey, do you want me to come in and help a little?" asked Sera, sitting   
  
out in living room bored out of her mind. "I mean if you're done with one side,   
  
I can start moving things in. It'll be a lot faster!" she added.  
  
"No honey, the paints not dried and you can't be in a room full of fumes,"   
  
replied Jeff, wiping some sweat off his forehead. He could hear Sera sigh and   
  
laughed at her inwardly, she can be such a baby sometimes, but a cute one at that!  
  
"Hey I know! I'll go wash the new clothes I just bought for him then!"   
  
cried out Sera, jumping up from her seat on the couch. "Yell if you need   
  
anything honey, I'll be in the laundry room!" shouted Sera as she walked off with   
  
the basket full of cute baby clothes.  
  
Finishing his work, Jeff stood back and looked at the room with pride.   
  
"Wow, I hope the baby is going to appreciate my hard work," said Jeff, smiling   
  
at his last minute changes to the baby's room. It was baby blue with white   
  
clouds on the ceiling and Jeff also added some baby angel border wallpaper on   
  
every side of the room. "Not bad for spur of the moment," he laughed, walking   
  
out of the room and shutting the door behind him. "Honey, where are you?"   
  
called out Jeff, looking around for Sera.  
  
"In the room honey!" yelled Sera as she finished folding the last of the   
  
baby's clothes and put them away in the chest they had just bought for the baby.   
  
She looked up just as Jeff came into their room and busted out into laughter.   
  
Jeff looked back at her with a confused look on his face. "I'm sorry baby, it's   
  
just that you have paint on your face," cried Sera, holding her stomach trying   
  
not to laugh to hard.  
  
"Well, why don't you be a good wife and wipe it off for your exhausted   
  
husband?" inquired Jeff, placing his head on her lap. Sera laughed and complied   
  
with what he had asked of her. Afterwards, the two checked to see if the paint   
  
dried in the nursery and started moving everything and arranging the baby's new   
  
nursery.  
  
Meanwhile, across town, Darien was considering what tactics he would use   
  
to gain Serena's trust once more. "There's got to be some way I can convince   
  
her that she'll destroy the future as well as Crystal Tokyo if she stays with   
  
that loser," whispered Darien, pacing back and forth in his apartment. Then it   
  
hit him, Serena loved her future daughter Rini with all her heart and soul and   
  
could not bare the thought of not having her in her life when she had left   
  
earlier while she was still in high school. "Now I got her," thought Darien,   
  
smiling as he decided to get some rest.  
  
~Two Weeks Later~  
  
"Hey Serena, how'd the appointment go?" asked Amy as she sat down at the   
  
table where everyone was having lunch. She smiled as she saw Sera rub her   
  
tummy.  
  
"Everything is fine, great actually!" beamed Sera happily. "Oh yeah, and   
  
we found out what it will be too," she added quietly as if it weren't important,   
  
taking a bite out of her club sandwich.  
  
"What?!" cried out all the girls, choking on their food when they heard   
  
the news.  
  
"Aw, Sera! Why didn't you let us know earlier?!" pouted Lena, crossing   
  
her arms and frowning at her sister.  
  
"Sorry girls, I wanted to tell you, but I've been so busy with my labor   
  
prep classes that I guess it slipped my mind!" laughed Sera.  
  
"Well, I guess we still have like almost three months left to throw you a   
  
baby shower and get presents for the little tike. What's his name anyway?"   
  
asked Lita, leaning her head against her hand.  
  
"Well, I decided to name him Brandon after Jeff's middle name," answered   
  
Sera. "I hope Jeff doesn't mind, I just thought it to be more suitable," she   
  
added.  
  
"Yeah, I'll bet he'll be thrilled to be naming his kid after himself,"   
  
replied Lena.  
  
"It is sort of cute to have fathers and their sons with matching names of   
  
the sort," added Nina, taking a sip of her lemonade.  
  
"Stacy and I think that it's more becoming of Jeff's family traditions,"   
  
said Lillian, bringing up the subject of Jeff's family.  
  
"Oh yeah! I forgot, Jeff was given the name Brandon after mom's father,"   
  
recalled Lena, smiling as she thought of her late grandfather.  
  
"Well, I suppose we'll be naming the baby after your grandpa, since Jeff   
  
got the name from him in the first place," agreed Sera, shrugging as she looked   
  
at her watch. "The guys should have been here by now, I wonder what's keeping   
  
them?" wondered Sera, looking out the restaurant windows to see if she could   
  
spot the limo.  
  
"Well what do you know, I had no idea you ladies were having lunch here   
  
today. What a coincidence," smiled Darien as he walked up to their table.  
  
"Sorry but we were having a private lunch, so we don't like to be bothered   
  
sir," said Kayla, glaring at Darien as he tried to get closer to Sera.  
  
"I'm hurt Serena, how could you throw away so many years of love and   
  
devotion!" replied Darien, feigning hurt. "I mean, we were engaged and did die   
  
for one another," he added, smiling at her.  
  
"Look pal! I honestly don't care what happened between you two, but I   
  
know this for sure, Sera was probably vulnerable when she fell for you!" shouted   
  
Lena, getting up from her seat to look Darien in the face. "I suggest you to   
  
leave us alone before I call the manager and notify him of your unwanted   
  
appearance around us!" she warned sternly.  
  
"Fine, Fine! Have it your way Serena. You're just hurting your precious   
  
little Rini," replied Darien, looking at Serena who jumped when she heard that   
  
name. "I guess she won't be making an appearance in this world after all!" said   
  
Darien, turning to leave her to think about what he just said.  
  
"Rini..." whispered Sera as tears sprung to her eyes. "Oh my god, what   
  
have   
  
I done?" she cried to herself, as weeps racked her body.  
  
"What's wrong Sera?!" cried the girls all running to her side at once.  
  
"I completely forgot I was supposed to be Rini's mother in the future!"   
  
cried Sera.  
  
"Serena, I'm sure she won't disappear from the timeline like Trista always   
  
says," comforted Mina, rubbing her hand over Serena's back.  
  
"Hey you never know, she might just end up being you and Jeff's daughter   
  
in the future!" added Lita, trying to get a smile out of Serena.  
  
"Calm down sis, I'm sure we can talk to Trista about this," added Lena,   
  
turning to get a nearby waiter's attention. "Yes, can you ring us up, we need   
  
to leave soon," she told him, giving him her credit card.  
  
"Kayla, can you call the guys and tell them to meet us at my place   
  
please?" asked Sera, as she wiped her tears and looked up at everyone. Kayla   
  
did as she was asked and the waiter returned with Lena's card and the bill, they   
  
left as soon as she signed it.  
  
"Hey Pluto? Yeah, it's me Lita. Can we talk to you in person please?"   
  
asked Lita, looking into her communicator.  
  
"Of course, I'll see you and Sera's," answered Trista calmly.  
  
"You know, I'm surprised she didn't just pop out of nowhere this time,"   
  
replied Lena, laughing as they all got out of the limousine.  
  
"Honey, we came home as soon as we got Kayla's message. What's wrong?"   
  
asked Jeff worriedly.  
  
"It's nothing honey. I just need to speak to Pluto and I didn't want you   
  
and the guys to go to the restaurant and not find the girls and I there,"   
  
answered Sera, as Jeff helped her sit down.  
  
"Princess, I presume you want to question me about Rini's whereabouts?"   
  
asked Pluto, stepping out from a time portal suddenly.  
  
"God Trista, I wish you wouldn't do that sometimes!" cried Lita, slipping   
  
from her position on a stool. "You always freak us out by popping out of   
  
nowhere like that!" she yelled, trying to get back onto the stool and sit.  
  
"Sorry everyone, I guess it's become a habit for me," laughed Pluto.   
  
"Anyway, on to more important matters. About Rini, she still is in the   
  
timeline, and you and Darien are still king and queen and Crystal Tokyo in the   
  
thirtieth century," replied Pluto calmly. "But! I forget to mention that Rini   
  
is from a completely different timeline. She's part of another dimension of   
  
this world. So you need not worry about her well-being," stated Pluto, smiling   
  
at everyone who sighed in relief.  
  
"I don't understand then. Why did she come to this time when I was in   
  
high school then?" questioned Sera, confused.  
  
"That is because, when the princes of this time disappeared, the two   
  
dimensions crossed and became one for a while," admitted Pluto, looking away   
  
from Sera. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but I wasn't expecting Prince   
  
Sol and the others to return," she explained to them.  
  
"It's okay Pluto, I was just curious that's all," smiled Sera, walking   
  
over to hug Trista. "I cannot blame you for what fate throws at us," she added.  
  
"My dear princess, you are such a kind-hearted person," whispered Trista   
  
as she returned the hug. "Oh my! You've gotten bigger!" she laughed, stepping   
  
back to look at Sera's round stomach. "That child will turn out perfect, I can   
  
see him already!" she whispered quietly to Sera, who only smiled in return.  
  
"I know," replied Sera as she watched Pluto leave. From that point on,   
  
Sera didn't have to worry about Rini's fate or anyone else's. All she   
  
concentrated on was preparing herself for the baby.  
  
~Two Months Later~  
  
"Honey! A little help please!" called out Sera, trying to get up from her   
  
laying position on the couch. She was now in her eight month, and just barely   
  
getting used to not being able to do some things on her own. "Man, you'd think   
  
one child wouldn't make me look like such a hippo!" cried Sera, frustrated at   
  
being so helpless.  
  
"Up you go sweetie," whispered Jeff, pulling Sera up to her feet. "Why   
  
didn't you try to get some more rest, I know how tired you are honey," he added,   
  
rubbing her back as she rested her head on his shoulder.  
  
"Can't, the baby keeps kicking me," pouted Sera.  
  
"Aw, why isn't my little boy behaving for mommy?" laughed Jeff as he   
  
placed his head on her tummy and rubbed it with his hand. "If you leave mommy   
  
alone, I promise you'll have lots of fun and toys when you're older!" he   
  
whispered into Sera's stomach, enjoying being able to feel his son kick from   
  
within Sera.  
  
"I don't think he cares much for toys right now," laughed Sera, placing a   
  
hand on Jeff's head and smiling down at the cute display he put on. "How about   
  
we go for a walk and some ice cream?" she pleaded, knowing he'd let her have   
  
anything she wanted now that she was almost due.  
  
"Okay, but let me grab a cloak for you, it's a bit chilly out today,"   
  
replied Jeff.  
  
"I'll be waiting downstairs!" yelled Sera happily as she headed downstairs   
  
with her purse to find her shoes. After Jeff got her cloak, the two headed off   
  
to get some ice cream and then drove to the park to walk around and relax.  
  
"Yummy!" was all Sera said as she licked her chocolate ice cream. Jeff   
  
was enjoying an ice cream cone too, only his was vanilla. The two were walking   
  
around the park with Sera's free arm linked through Jeff's as they stopped and   
  
sat on a bench near the lake and enjoyed the view.  
  
"Fancy running into you here. I thought you never came here anymore,"   
  
said a voice from a tree nearby. Jeff and Sera both turned around to see Darien   
  
standing there, looking at them in awe. "It's been a while huh?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah..." was all Sera could say. Jeff wrapped his arms around her   
  
tightly.  
  
"Don't worry, I've realized something in these past two months," said   
  
Darien quietly, looking out over the lake. "I guess I didn't want to accept the   
  
fact that you and Jeff were together before we ever met. But I see now how in   
  
love you are with him, so I'm not going to try to break you two up. Actually,   
  
I'm happy for you two. You'll be parents soon, congratulations!" he added,   
  
smiling down at Sera.  
  
"Thank you Darien, that means a lot to me," replied Sera, getting up to   
  
give him a hug. "I hope you find happiness too," she whispered into his ear.  
  
"I have, her name is Tiara. She attends the same med-school as I, and   
  
we're doing great," said Darien, smiling as they separated. "Perhaps one day   
  
you'll attend my wedding," laughed Darien as he turned from Jeff and Sera and   
  
began walking away. Stopping a short distance away, he turned around and said,   
  
"There will always be a place in my heart for you princess."  
  
"You'll be in my heart too Darien," whispered Sera quietly. "Oh, and   
  
Darien! I want you to be Brandon's Godfather! Please say you'll agree!" asked   
  
Sera with pleading eyes. Darien nodded and turned and left her and Jeff alone   
  
in the park.  
  
"I think he'll be the perfect godparent honey," whispered Jeff as he led   
  
her back to their car and took her home.  
  
~Final Month~  
  
"Oh god, I'm not sure if I'm ready for him to come out yet mom!" yelled   
  
Sera, pacing back and forth in front of Ilene. Her mother shook her head and   
  
laughed as she saw her very pregnant daughter freaking out before her eyes.  
  
"Calm down sweetie, I've taught you everything you need to know! You'll   
  
be a wonderful mother, and you have Jeff to help you darling," answered Ilene,   
  
hoping to get some sense into Serena. "I love you dearly, but you can be silly   
  
sometimes child," she added, sitting down.  
  
"But mom! What if I'm not the perfect mother! What if I can't handle   
  
it?!" cried Sera, clutching her fists in anguish. "I'd die if I were a horrible   
  
mother to my baby!" she yelled, tears forming in her eyes.  
  
"You won't be dear, I'll be there to guide you!" shouted Ilene, getting a   
  
little frustrated. "Christ save me, I don't know if I can handle this anymore,"   
  
she thought to herself as she looked out the window. "Jeff will be here to pick   
  
you up soon Serena, so quit worrying, you'll make him worry too!" added Ilene,   
  
hoping to stop her daughter's ranting. She grabbed a suitcase and placed it   
  
near the door.  
  
"Mom, what's that?" asked Sera, pointing at the suitcase.  
  
"It's for you, I packed some things you'll need at the hospital when the   
  
time does come. So make sure Jeff keeps this in his car at all times!" said   
  
Ilene, making a note in her mind to tell Jeff about it in case Serena forgets.  
  
"But it's not for another two weeks mom," answered Sera, giving her mother   
  
a confused look.  
  
"You never know, we must always be prepared before hand remember?" replied   
  
Ilene, smiling at her daughter. "I can't wait to see the baby!" she added   
  
anxiously.  
  
"Yeah, you and the rest of this world! Me mostly!" laughed Sera, rubbing   
  
her back. "Being pregnant is killing my back!" she added as Ilene laughed at   
  
her.  
  
"Honey, let's go home now! I've got to go buy some things the baby might   
  
need later too!" yelled Jeff from the door as he came into the living room. "Hi   
  
Ilene, how's everything?" he asked, giving her a kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Fine, except for your unconfident wife here," laughed Ilene as she   
  
pointed at Serena, who was still pacing.  
  
"Everything will be fine honey, so don't worry your pretty little head   
  
off," replied Jeff, smiling as he leaned over and kissed her on the forehead.   
  
He and Sera said bye to Ilene and they both headed home.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
That's all for this chapter! More next time! Ja! 


	12. Twelve

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Konbonwa minna-chan!! So... have you been enjoying my story so far?? Still no   
  
flames, but then again, my e-mail is down at the moment but I'll get it fixed in   
  
no time! Okay, on with the story!  
  
No Turning Back~  
  
For an entire week, Sera got confined to the house to get as much rest as   
  
she could get. Her gynecologist recommended her to Dr. Jenkins so Jeff took   
  
Sera to see her and they registered into Tokyo General's maternity ward. She   
  
only had two weeks left, and Dr. Jenkins has advised her to take it easy.  
  
"Hey Sera, can you come over to the penthouse today? I want to show you   
  
this really cute baby outfit I just bought for Brandon!" said Lena cheerily over   
  
the telephone. "Oh I hope she's buying this lame excuse, I've already shown her   
  
everything!" prayed Lena, trying not to make it sound noticeable.  
  
"Um, I suppose I could get the chauffeur to drop me off, since Jeff isn't   
  
home right now," replied Sera, looking around to make sure.  
  
"Great! I'll see you in like fifteen minutes then! Bye Sera!" yelled   
  
Lena, hanging up before Sera could say anything back.  
  
"Okay... that was very odd," thought Sera as she hung up and dialed for   
  
the chauffeur and went to change into a pale yellow sundress. "Hello? Yes   
  
Henry, it's me Sera. Could you drop me off over at the penthouse please? Five   
  
minutes? Sure, I'll be waiting outside then," replied Sera, hanging up with the   
  
driver. She grabbed her purse and slipped into some low heels and went outside   
  
to wait on the patio for Henry to arrive.  
  
"Afternoon Mrs. Timmons," greeted Henry as he pulled up to the driveway in   
  
the limo. "Wait one second and I'll be right with you miss," he told her,   
  
getting out of the limo to get the door for Sera.  
  
"Thank you Henry, and please don't be so formal with me, just call me   
  
Sera," pleaded Sera, smiling as she slid into her seat.  
  
"Very well," replied Henry, shutting the door and getting back in to the   
  
driver's seat. "So, are Lena and the girls taking you out again?" questioned   
  
Henry, smiling as he exited the driveway and headed out into the traffic.  
  
"I'm not sure, she just called and told me to come over quickly!" replied   
  
Sera, laughing at how clueless she was.  
  
"Well, I'll have you over there in no time," laughed Henry as he pulled   
  
the limo to stop at a red light. As soon as it turned green, he accelerated and   
  
just as the limo entered the intersection, a car that was driving on the left   
  
side of Henry's vision came barreling towards the limo. "Shit!" he yelled as   
  
his instincts took over and his foot slammed down on the brakes.  
  
"What's wrong Henry?!" yelled Sera as he seatbelt tightened around her   
  
waist. Making it hard for her to move. "Henry!" she called out again when he   
  
didn't answer. "What just…" Sera began to say, but before she could finish the   
  
other car crashed into the limo and hit the door where Sera was seated.  
  
"Miss!" yelled Henry as he looked into his rearview mirror and saw Sera's   
  
body go limp. "Oh no! Mrs. Timmons! Are you okay?!" he yelled, wrenching his   
  
seatbelt free and getting out of the car to check on her. He ran around to the   
  
other side of the limo and opened the door and climbed in to get to Sera, since   
  
her door was dented in.  
  
"Oh my god, is anyone hurt?!" yelled someone who had witnessed the   
  
accident. Reaching into their pocket they pulled out their cell phone and   
  
dialed 9-1-1 to get an ambulance and some help.  
  
"Can someone please help me, I've got an injured pregnant woman here!"   
  
yelled Henry from inside the limo. He unbuckled Sera's seatbelt and slowly   
  
carried her out and placed her on the ground. More people started gathering   
  
around to see what had happened, and by the time police and ambulance arrived,   
  
the area was crowded with onlookers.  
  
"Sir, can you please cooperate and tell us everything that happened,"   
  
inquired a police officer as he pulled out his notepad and began taking things   
  
down. Henry informed the cop of everything that took place and gave him all the   
  
information he could about Sera as he saw her being placed onto a stretcher and   
  
taken away. "You'll have to call her family and notify them that she's being   
  
taken to Tokyo General," informed the officer as he left to see how the driver   
  
in the other car was.  
  
"Thank you, I'll let them know right away," replied Henry as he rushed   
  
back to the limo and called Jeff with the limo's phone.  
  
~At the penthouse~  
  
"What on earth is taking her so long?" wondered Lena out loud, pacing back   
  
and forth in front of the guys. "It's been one hour already and still no sign   
  
of her yet!" she cried, losing her calm.  
  
"Maybe she couldn't find Henry or something," replied Nick, rubbing his   
  
hands up and down Lena's arms to clam her down a bit.  
  
"She would've called if she couldn't make it though," answered Jeff,   
  
getting up and walking to the phone. "I'm going to call the house," he told   
  
everyone as they all nodded their heads. When Jeff picked up the phone, instead   
  
of hearing a dial tone, he heard a man's voice.  
  
"Mr. Timmons?!" said Henry in a frantic tone.  
  
"Henry?" asked Jeff into the receiver, looking confused. "What's going on   
  
Henry?" he asked after Henry had responded.  
  
"I'm sorry sir, but I've got terrible news. Mrs. Timmons is being taken   
  
to Tokyo General as we speak," informed Henry sadly.  
  
"What?! How?! What happened?!" yelled Jeff into the receiver.  
  
"We were heading over to the penthouse when some car crashed into the limo   
  
and hit the side that Mrs. Timmons was seated at, the driver was apparently not   
  
paying attention or else preoccupied with something else," answered Henry, still   
  
a little shaken up.  
  
"Right, thanks Henry. We'll head over there now, and I'll see you there   
  
as well, you need to get checked up as well," replied Jeff solemnly, hanging up   
  
after Henry complied.  
  
"What's going on?" questioned Mina, looking up from her magazine.  
  
"Sera's been in a car accident and they've taken her to a hospital,"   
  
answered Jeff hurriedly as he ran over and grabbed his keys. "If you guys want,   
  
you can come with me, but I'm going right now," he added as he ran out the door.  
  
"Wait for us!" yelled Drew, dropping his newspaper and heading out with   
  
everyone close behind.  
  
~At Tokyo General~  
  
"Excuse me, but I need to know the whereabouts of my wife, Sera Timmons,"   
  
said Jeff when two nurses looked up form their computers. The entire group came   
  
piling into the hospital five minutes later.  
  
"She's still in O.R. sir, you'll have to wait over there until a doctor or   
  
nurse comes to speak to you," informed a nurse after typing in Sera's name and   
  
pulling up her information files.  
  
So where is she?!" cried Lena, grabbing onto Jeff's hand shakily.  
  
"They said she's in the operating room, but I don't even know why!"   
  
shouted Jeff angrily, slamming his fists into the wall.  
  
"Excuse me, Mr. Timmons?" asked a nurse, standing behind the group.   
  
Everyone turned around and Jeff walked up to her to get some answers. "What's   
  
wrong with my wife?" he asked the nurse immediately.  
  
"She's in the O.R. and I'm not allowed to say anything else until the   
  
doctor sees you first, but we're doing all we can to help her," she informed him   
  
and left after getting him to sign some papers.  
  
"Jeffrey," called out Dr. Jenkins, rushing up to him with rubber gloves   
  
and a mask hanging below her chin. Jeff turned around and his eyes lit up with   
  
hope when he saw Dr. Jenkins. "I need you to calm down and listen to what I've   
  
got to say okay? We ran x-rays and spotted internal bleeding in her uterus, so   
  
I'm going to have to operate and most likely give a cesarean if need be," she   
  
said looking Jeff straight in the eye.  
  
"I understand, please get her out of this safely Leila," begged Jeff.  
  
"I'll try my best, but please know that your child's life is at risk   
  
here," added Dr. Jenkins sadly. "I'll send a nurse out if any of her signs   
  
changes," she said, walking into the O.R. with several nurses behind her.  
  
"Someone please let Sera's parents know, I don't think I'm up to make this   
  
phone call," asked Jeff tiredly. His head was beginning to hurt, thinking of   
  
all the outcomes that might happen.  
  
"I'll go call," answered Amy, going over to use the phone at the nurse's   
  
station. Since Amy was a doctor at Tokyo General, they let her look at Sera's   
  
report while she called the Jacobs to inform them. She returned a few minutes   
  
later saying, "They're on their way."  
  
"God, how am I going to explain why their daughter is in the hospital,"   
  
said Jeff, sighing while he looked away in shame. "They give me her hand in   
  
marriage and I can't even look after her!" he cried, clenching his fists   
  
together.  
  
"Jeff! Oh my god, Amy just called and we hurried over as soon as we could   
  
find Sammy! How is she dear?" asked Ilene frantically as she rushed up to   
  
Jeff's side. Ken and Sammy were close behind, looking very confused.  
  
"What happened son?" questioned Ken trying to stay calm.  
  
"Henry, our chauffeur called me half an hour ago and told me that some   
  
person ran a red light and hit the limo. The person's car crashed into the side   
  
where Sera was sitting," answered Jeff sadly. "I'm so sorry Ken, I should've   
  
been home to prevent this from even happening in the first place," said Jeff,   
  
rambling on and on about how he could've prevented this.  
  
"Honey, don't blame yourself sweetheart. It's the other driver's fault my   
  
poor baby and grandson are in this situation," replied Ilene, comforting him.  
  
"Great, thanks to some imbecile, my sister and her child are in critical   
  
condition," mumbled Sammy, looking away from everyone.  
  
"We'll just have to wait and hope for the best sweetie," replied Ilene,   
  
pulling Sammy over and holding him as a tear rolled down her face.   
  
~Two Hours Later~  
  
"Mr. Timmons? Dr. Jenkins sent me to inform you that your wife is doing   
  
much better now; they've managed to stop the bleeding," said a nurse who came   
  
out of the O.R.  
  
"How much longer before she's done in there?" asked Lita impatiently.  
  
"I'm not sure, but Dr. Jenkins had to go ahead with the cesarean so it   
  
might take a little while longer," answered the nurse, turning and going back   
  
into the O.R.  
  
"God, all this suspense is killing me," whispered Nina, wringing her   
  
handkerchief tightly. Suddenly, the O.R. lights went off and the door opened   
  
with Dr. Jenkins leaving.  
  
"Well, looks like Sera will be okay after all. I'm placing her in a room   
  
now and you can see her in half an hour. Your son on the other hand, is being   
  
placed into our ICU because of some minor problems," said Leila, taking her mask   
  
off and giving her gloves to the nurse to dispose.  
  
"Thank you so much Dr. Jenkins, I owe you my life," said Jeff, relieved to   
  
here that both mother and child were alive and okay.  
  
"Don't thank me yet Jeffrey. I placed Brandon into an incubator, it seems   
  
that Brandon's lungs are not functioning as well as they should be, considering   
  
the fact that his is two weeks premature," implied Dr. Jenkins, with a stern   
  
expression on her face.  
  
"What does that mean Leila?" asked Jeff worriedly.  
  
"It means that Brandon's lungs haven't matured yet, so he's fighting to   
  
breath for himself. We have to watch him carefully and make sure he doesn't   
  
need to be put on a respirator until his lungs do mature," answered Leila.  
  
"There's nothing we can do?" asked Ilene, stepping up and placing a hand   
  
on Jeff's arm to calm him down.  
  
"I'm sorry, I feel horrible to be the one to tell you, but there was   
  
nothing else I could do but bring him into this world earlier than expected. It   
  
would have been way too risky to leave him in Sera's womb," replied Leila.  
  
"We understand Dr. Jenkins. Thank you so much for saving them, you have   
  
our gratitude," said Ken suddenly, looking at the doctor as he held Ilene.  
  
"You can go see Sera now I believe, I'll head over to check up on Brandon   
  
after the nurses get him settled into his room," said Dr. Jenkins, turning to   
  
leave everyone to talk amongst themselves.  
  
~Intensive Care Unit~  
  
"Poor baby, just came into this world and already fighting to stay in it,"   
  
whispered a nurse as she pushed Brandon's incubator over to the machines that   
  
she'd hook them up to.  
  
"Yeah, I know what you mean. I just hate seeing babies go through all   
  
this crap," added another nurse, punching in some numbers and plugging the   
  
incubator into the heart monitor. "I heard Dr. Mizuno's friend is the mother of   
  
this cute baby boy," she whispered, looking down at him and smiling.   
  
"What's his name anyway?" questioned the first nurse, while she hooked the   
  
respirator up to Brandon in case he might need it.  
  
"Brandon Timmons, son of lets see... Jeffrey Timmons and Sera Jacobs,"   
  
answered the second nurse, looking down at his information tag. "Hey! Jeffrey   
  
Timmons is that singer from 98 Degrees! Wow, this baby is famous already!" she   
  
added, laughing at the other nurse's reaction.  
  
"Well, you know we can't say anything about him to the press. This baby's   
  
health status is to remain completely confidential remember!" warned the first   
  
nurse, shaking a finger at the other.  
  
"Yes, I know. I wouldn't tell anyone about this cute little tike! Gosh,   
  
he's only like five pounds and six ounces! Tiny little baby!" thought the   
  
second nurse as she and the first nurse left little Brandon alone.  
  
~Sera's room~  
  
"Okay, I'm only going to let groups of three see her at a time, and for   
  
only five minutes! Her family can stay for ten, but that's all I can do since   
  
there are so many of you wanting to see her," whispered Dr. Jenkins quietly.   
  
Everyone agreed and Dr. Jenkins made everyone leave so the could take their   
  
turns. "Jeff, I need to see you please," she asked, as they walked towards the   
  
door. "I'm going to let you stay here with her since she'll be unstable after   
  
hearing about Brandon, so I'm counting on you to comfort her okay?" said Dr.   
  
Jenkins, looking at Jeff to make sure he understood her completely.  
  
"Thanks," replied Jeff, smiling at her.  
  
"Don't thank me just yet. Wait until Brandon is better and then you can   
  
thank me," whispered Dr. Jenkins, smiling as she walked away.  
  
"Jeff, she's still sleeping, so we'll all come back tomorrow okay?" said   
  
Nick, as he and everyone got up and left. Once Sera's family was finished   
  
seeing her, Jeff went in and sat beside her, waiting for her to wake up.  
  
"I'm so sorry baby," whispered Jeff, kissing Sera's hand as tears feel   
  
from his eyes onto her hand.  
  
"It's okay honey, it's my fault," responded Sera groggily as she opened   
  
her eyes slowly. She turned her head towards him and wiped his tears away with   
  
her hand. "How is he?" she asked.  
  
"He's in intensive care right now. I'm not going to lie to you about this   
  
baby, but his lungs haven't matured yet," answered Jeff honestly, as he saw   
  
tears roll down Sera's face slowly.  
  
"Oh god, my poor little baby," replied Sera, crying softly. She tried to   
  
sit up but Jeff told her not to because she had to let the stitches on her   
  
stomach heal first. "Can I see him?" she pleaded, grabbing Jeff's hand and   
  
holding it tightly. "Please, I have to see him," she begged of him.  
  
"I can't baby, you're still weak and he's in the ICU right now," said Jeff   
  
sternly. "Please, wait until the doctor says it is okay and then we'll go see   
  
him together," he added.  
  
"This is so retarded, I just gave birth to my child and I still haven't   
  
seen him yet," whispered Sera angrily. After several hours of talking and   
  
compromising, Jeff finally got Sera to agree to get some sleep. He walked over   
  
to the ICU room and went in to look at his little boy.  
  
"Oh God, please… if you hear me, let this all be okay soon," begged Jeff   
  
silently, as he stared at Brandon through the incubator glass. He reached in   
  
and held Brandon's tiny hand gently. "I love you, and your mommy does too   
  
Brandon," he whispered. Tears spilt from his eyes just as Brandon's tiny hand   
  
wrapped around his index finger and held onto it tightly. "Yes, I'll see you   
  
soon son," smiled Jeff, kissing the incubator glass and leaving.  
  
~One Week Later~  
  
"Honey, Dr. Jenkins said it's okay for me to walk now since the stitches   
  
have just about healed. So can we please go see him now?" pleaded Sera.  
  
"Ok, let's go then," laughed Jeff as he wrapped an arm around Sera's waist   
  
and led her over to the ICU room. Some nurses stopped them and checked their   
  
I.D. for security and gave them some scrubs to wear.  
  
"Oh Jeff, is that him over there?" asked Sera, covering her mouth with her   
  
hand. Tears formed in her eyes but she forced them back, she wasn't going to   
  
cry in front of her baby. Jeff nodded and she raced over to his incubator to   
  
look at him closely. "My poor baby, I'm so sorry," she whispered, placing a   
  
hand in the incubator to touch his face.  
  
"Nurse, can we carry him? Please?" asked Jeff, pleadingly at the nurse   
  
who could deny them the pleasure of holding their child for the first time. She   
  
gently lifted him out of the incubator and placed him in Sera's arms first.  
  
"Oh, he's so tiny!" cried Sera, smiling up and Jeff.  
  
"Dr. Jenkins said he's getting better and better every day. We should be   
  
able to take him home in like a month or so," replied Jeff, wrapping a hand   
  
around Sera's waist and looking down at little Brandon, who was still asleep.  
  
"A month?! That long?" whined Sera, she was so hoping she'd get to take   
  
Brandon home and let him see his new nursery and crib. She turned and placed   
  
him in Jeff's arms gently, sighing she said, "I guess there's nothing we can do   
  
then. Mind his head honey."  
  
"I've never actually held a baby before. It's quite complicated," laughed   
  
Jeff, rocking Brandon back and forth in his arms.  
  
"Don't worry, you'll get used to it honey," replied Sera, smiling at him.   
  
Thirty minutes later a nurse asked them if they would like to feed Brandon and   
  
showed them how to while she watched to make sure he didn't choke on the milk.   
  
Soon, they had to go home. "Mommy and daddy will see you tomorrow okay baby?"   
  
cooed Sera, kissing Brandon on his forehead lightly. And they did just that   
  
everyday for the next four weeks.  
  
~Going Home~  
  
"Hooray! You finally get to come home today Brandon, aren't you excited?"   
  
cried Sera happily as he was placed into her waiting arms gently.  
  
"Feel free to call me anytime of day if anything goes wrong alright?"   
  
informed Dr. Jenkins, smiling at the family before her.  
  
"Thanks Leila, I don't know what I would've done without you. I can't   
  
begin to show you my gratitude," replied Jeff, wrapping an arm around Sera's   
  
shoulder and smiling at Dr. Jenkins.  
  
"Yes, if it weren't for you. I don't think I'd be able to hold this   
  
little guy right now," added Sera, laughing. After checking Sera and Brandon   
  
out of the hospital they said goodbye to Dr. Jenkins and the nurses in the ICU   
  
room and went home.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
So, what did you think? Got you there for a moment didn't I? ::giggles:: I'm   
  
sorry, but it puts more suspense to my story didn't it? Okay, Ja Ne! 


	13. Thirteen

Konnichiwa minna-chan! Well, I've been doing some thinking lately and I decided   
  
I want some more suspense in this story, so I guess it's going to take a wild   
  
turn! Ja!  
  
No Turning Back~  
  
Arriving back at their condominium, Jeff grabbed Sera and Brandon's things   
  
while she carried him into their house to set him down in his crib. Inside,   
  
everyone was running around prepping things for Brandon's welcoming party. It   
  
by coincidence is Brandon's one-month celebration. [A.N. I'm not sure if this   
  
is a Japanese tradition or not, but in China and Viet Nam, families celebrate a   
  
child's birth a month afterwards.]  
  
"There you are Brandon, welcome home sweetie," cooed Sera, walking into   
  
the hallway and slipping out of her shoes while she reached for the light   
  
switch.  
  
"Surprise!" screamed everyone as Sera turned the lights on. Everyone was   
  
present, from the Sailors all the way down to Lena's friends and the guys.  
  
"Oh my god, how'd you all get in here?" asked Sera, smiling as she set   
  
Brandon down into his new bassinet and hugged the girls. "Thanks so much   
  
everyone, it's so nice of you all," she added.  
  
"Hey, what's all the noise I hear in here?" wondered Jeff, stepping into   
  
the living room. "Well, what have we here?" he laughed as he saw the women   
  
crowd around the baby. "Hmm, looks like my son is already a lady's man," joked   
  
Jeff, wrapping his arms around Sera tightly and kissing her on the shoulder.  
  
"Okay people, let's all have fun and take tons of pictures with the baby!"   
  
cried Lena, happily as she carried Brandon in her arms. For the next two hours   
  
they had cake and other goodies Lita had made especially for Brandon's party and   
  
talked about all the new presents he had waiting for him in his nursery.  
  
"What presents? I thought we had everything already," said Sera,   
  
confused. "Hey… does this have anything to do with that day you told me to come   
  
over Lena?" questioned Sera, eyeing her carefully.  
  
"Actually honey, we were planning on throwing you a baby shower that day,"   
  
admitted Jeff, kissing her lightly on the cheeks.  
  
"Which reminds me, have you spoken to the lawyer yet Jeff?" asked Nick.  
  
"Yeah, he's taking care of everything. Mr. Lawrence told me that the   
  
driver of the other car was some woman named "Crystal Jennings" and apparently   
  
she had been drinking earlier that day," informed Jeff, shaking his head.  
  
"You hear that Brandon? You and mommy were stuck on some stupid smelly   
  
place because of some stupid drunk woman!" said Mina, laughing as he grabbed her   
  
finger tightly and cooed back to her.  
  
"Alright, I think it time for his nap. He's had a really long day,"   
  
laughed Sera as Mina placed Brandon into her arms. "Okay honey, say bye to   
  
everyone," she said in a baby voice as everyone laughed and said bye to him.  
  
"So now that everything is back to normal and Sera's had the baby, are we   
  
going to continue the tour soon or wait a while until the baby is a little   
  
older?" asked Justin as he swallowed a piece of cake.  
  
"I think we'll call Mike up and let him know that we'll go back on tour to   
  
finish it up," said Jeff, shocking everyone with his sudden statement.  
  
"So does that mean we get to take the baby too?!" said Lena cheerily.  
  
"No, you girls are going to stay here so Sera and Brandon can recuperate   
  
from everything that's happened. I want you to get her to relax and enjoy her   
  
time as much as possible," answered Jeff.  
  
"What do you mean you're finishing the tour without us?!" yelled Sera   
  
unhappy with what she'd just heard form her husband. "I just got out of the   
  
hospital with our child and you already want to leave us?!" she cried, glaring   
  
cold daggers at him.  
  
"Honey please, I want you and Brandon to be able to rest and relax, not be   
  
cramped up in the jet and moving around the rest of the tour," said Jeff, hoping   
  
he'd get through to her.  
  
"He's right you know Sera," agreed Nick.  
  
"But we want to be with you!" Sera whined sadly, frowning as Jeff pulled   
  
her into his laps and wrapped his arms around her waist.  
  
"I know baby, I want you and Brandon to be with me twenty-four seven too,   
  
but think about it. While we're gone you can rest and get back in shape," said   
  
Jeff, jokingly.  
  
"Hey! I haven't lost my figure!" cried Sera angrily. The guys all   
  
started laughing when she slapped him across the chest lightly. "I guess it is   
  
reasonable, but on one condition! You take the videophone with you and call us   
  
every night so the baby can see your face as often as possible," said Sera,   
  
kissing Jeff lightly on the lips.  
  
"Deal!" laughed Jeff, shaking his head at his wife's tactics.  
  
"Okay, we're going to head back to the penthouse. I'll call Mike and get   
  
a conference set up, see you later Jeff! Bye Sera!" called out Nick as he and   
  
everyone started piling out the door one by one.  
  
"Peace at last!" shouted Jeff happily as he picked Sera up and carried her   
  
into their bedroom.  
  
"Honey!" laughed Sera as she was dumped onto their bed. "The baby's   
  
sleeping!" she warned him, still giggling uncontrollably.  
  
"I guess we'll have to be extra quiet," said Jeff quietly into Sera's ears   
  
as he began kissing her neck. So for the rest of the evening they stayed up   
  
enjoying being with one another. {A.N. okay, so maybe that's not all they did,   
  
but hey I have to keep it appropriate! *giggles and winks at readers* =P}  
  
~98 Degrees Conference~  
  
Just as quick as the group called Mike, a conference was set up the   
  
following day. Tons of reporters from all sorts of magazines and newspapers   
  
were present to get the latest scoop on the boy band.  
  
"Jeff! Is it true that your wife just gave birth to a baby boy?" asked a   
  
reporter suddenly.  
  
"Yes, it's true. My wife Sera brought our son Brandon into this world   
  
over a month ago," answered Jeff.  
  
"What's this we here of her being in a car accident last month?"   
  
questioned another reporter.  
  
"I'll answer that for Jeff," said Nick as Jeff gave him the "okay". "I'm   
  
pretty sure everyone has heard various version of the car accident, but the   
  
truth is that it wasn't as bad as you've heard. No lives were taken so we're   
  
not filing charges against the woman, and her name will remain confidential for   
  
her own privacy. That's all we'll be saying on that topic," informed Nick.  
  
"One more question please?" asked a lady from the New York Times magazine.   
  
"I think everyone has this question on their minds, will you or will you not be   
  
finishing your tour?" asked the lady.  
  
"Yes, 98 Degrees will be finishing their International Tour starting next   
  
week," answered Mike formally. He looked down at his watch and said, "We thank   
  
you all for coming out but that is all the time we have for today. Good bye and   
  
have a nice day!"  
  
"Damn, we're leaving next week?" said Justin, sort of bummed out at the   
  
news. "That leaves no time for anything," he thought out loud.  
  
"Oh hell, how am I supposed to make sure Sera and Brandon have everything   
  
they'll need while I'm gone in just one week?" wondered Jeff frantically.  
  
"Don't worry, we'll help you Jeff," replied Drew, smiling happily.  
  
For the next few days, everyone rushed around making sure that Sera and   
  
Brandon would have everything necessary. An alarm was installed into the condo   
  
and they even went out and got Brandon a puppy golden retriever. Then Jeff made   
  
sure Sera had all the money she'd need in the bank account.  
  
~International Airport of Tokyo~  
  
"Okay honey, you have the number to my cell and the jet's. Dr. Jenkins   
  
number is on the fridge and on speed dial also. We're leaving Henry here to   
  
escort you and the girls to wherever you might need to go. I hired a maid to   
  
help you keep the house clean and the alarm works perfectly. Okay, I think   
  
that's everything," said Jeff, taking in a deep breath afterwards.  
  
"Relax honey, I've got the girls to help me. You don't have to worry   
  
about anything but making sure you have the videophone with you at all times!"   
  
replied Sera, laughing at how worried he was. She pulled his head down to her   
  
level and kissed him passionately. "Bye baby, take care and behave!" she said   
  
as the guys pulled him onto the jet.  
  
"Bye honey! I'll see you in three months! I love you!" yelled Jeff,   
  
waving to Sera and Brandon.  
  
"We love you too!" shouted Sera loudly before the door closed and Jeff had   
  
to go take a seat for take-off. Sera stood there holding the baby while she   
  
watched the jet take off safely before she decided to leave with the girls.  
  
"Oh come on Sera, cheer up! Three months will pass by like that!" said   
  
Mina, snapping her fingers.  
  
"I hope you're right Mina," replied Sera sighing as they all got into the   
  
limo and headed out to dinner. For the next month, the girls spent their days   
  
taking care of Brandon and showing him all the greatest sights of Japan. The   
  
guys on the other hands spent their month prepping for their concerts in India   
  
and then China. They were headed for Poland, Spain, and then Persia the   
  
following month.  
  
~Two months have passed already~  
  
"That's my boy," cooed Sera as she gave Brandon his bottle and he quieted   
  
down from his fit. She shook her head as he began playing with her hair, just   
  
then the phone rang. "Hello?" she answered, turning the videophone on. Jeff's   
  
face appeared on the screen and Sera smiled brightly, picking the baby up. "Hey   
  
honey, how's everything?!" she asked happily.  
  
"Tiring and lonely. I miss sleeping with you in my arms," sighed Jeff   
  
tiredly. He saw little Brandon lying in Sera's arms sucking on his bottle.   
  
"Hey there Brandon, how's my little boy? Are you behaving for mommy?" he asked,   
  
cooing at Brandon who only looked at him and giggled. "Guess that means yes,"   
  
wondered Jeff.  
  
"Don't ask me, I don't understand baby talk!" laughed Sera, shrugging her   
  
shoulders at him. "Anyway, just one more month and you get to come back right?"   
  
she asked him curiously.  
  
"Yeah, but I think it'll be like an extra week before we get back to Tokyo   
  
honey," answered Jeff honestly. He heard Sera sigh as she cuddled the baby   
  
closer and smile sadly up at him. "I know baby, I miss you and Brandon lots to   
  
honey, but I'll be home shortly. Promise," replied Jeff, trying to cheer Sera   
  
up as much as he could.  
  
"I know it's not your fault, I just can't help but wish you were here to   
  
see the baby more often. I mean, he's three months old already and you won't be   
  
back until like he's almost five months old," said Sera sadly.  
  
"I promise after the tour, we'll spend all our free time together as a   
  
family," reassured Jeff, placing his palm on the screen.  
  
"Good," replied Sera, smiling as she placed her hand up to his, as if they   
  
were touching one another. "Well, you look really beat, so why don't you get   
  
some rest okay honey?" suggested Sera, switching the baby over to her other arm.   
  
"I think I'm going to take Brandon out for a walk, get some air," she told Jeff.  
  
"Sounds like a good idea, I'll call you the next chance I get okay baby,"   
  
promised Jeff as they blew kisses at one another and hung up.  
  
"Come on tike, we're going to the park!" said Sera, smiling down at   
  
Brandon, who was sucking on some of her hair. She took him into the nursery and   
  
changed him into a pair of overalls and some cute little tennis shoes and a   
  
white t-shirt. "My don't you look stunning," laughed Sera as she placed a cap   
  
onto his head and placed him back into his crib to go change into a pair of   
  
Capri and a baby t-shirt. "Okay sweetie, how does mommy look?" Sera asked,   
  
turning around to model for her son. Brandon cooed and waved his arms around   
  
making Sera laugh, saying, "Well, I guess this is a winner!" She grabbed her   
  
keys and placed a collar around Bubbles' neck and left the house. {A.N. Jeff and   
  
Sera named their golden retriever Bubbles!}  
  
~At The Park~  
  
Sera walked around the park, enjoying the nice cool day and the view while   
  
pushing Brandon's stroller around, stopping every now and then at some of her   
  
old favorite spots.  
  
"You know what sweetie? Mommy used to love coming here with someone very   
  
special to her a long time ago," whispered Sera into Brandon's ears. Even   
  
though he couldn't understand her, Brandon had a look in his eyes like he   
  
understood.  
  
"I still do come here often Serena," responded a voice from behind her.   
  
Sera turned around and saw Darien standing there behind her smiling. "Sorry I   
  
scared you, I guess it's a habit now," laughed Darien, coming over to hug her.  
  
"No apologies necessary, I'm glad to see you too," replied Sera, snapping   
  
out of her daze. "Oh, where are my manners! Darien, this is my son Brandon,"   
  
introduced Sera, beaming a smile up at Darien. "Sweetie, meet your godfather,   
  
he's a very nice and handsome man!" she added, giggling slightly.  
  
"Well, the pleasure is all mine young man. You're very good looking,"   
  
said Darien, touching Brandon's face gently. "My you've got a grip," laughed   
  
Darien, smiling as Brandon reached up and grabbed his finger. "So, where's   
  
Jeff?" he asked suddenly, curious as to why they were alone.  
  
"He's finishing up his tour, he's been gone for about two months already,"   
  
answered Sera sadly. "It's been a very long two months," she sighed, more to   
  
herself than to Darien.  
  
"I see… Well, how about the two of you join me for dinner? Since I don't   
  
have any company and it looks like you need some," asked Darien, tilting his   
  
head over to one side, looking at Sera with a quirky grin.  
  
"I don't know… What happened to Tiara? Won't she be upset?" asked Sera   
  
curiously. She didn't want to intrude on him if his girlfriend would be upset.  
  
"Well, Tiara moved to America last month to attend John Hopkins University   
  
and we had to part ways," admitted Darien, sliding his hand through his hair and   
  
ruffling it up as he talked.  
  
"Oh Darien, I'm so sorry to hear," replied Sera, going over and hugging   
  
him. "Alright, Brandon and I shall join you for dinner tonight!" she said with   
  
a smile, looking up to see him smile faintly back.  
  
"Great! Do you want to take my car instead?" asked Darien curiously.   
  
Sera nodded with a smile in response. "Okay, well my car is parked over there,"   
  
he replied, heading towards the parking lot.  
  
"Alright, lead the way," answered Sera cheerily. Bubbles jumped up and   
  
barked suddenly, making Darien stop and turn around. "Whoa, calm down sweetie!"   
  
said Sera, tugging on the leash a little.  
  
"You can come too Bubbles!" laughed Darien, kneeling down to pet her.  
  
"I guess she's saying thank you," said Sera, giggling as Bubbles licked   
  
Darien's face and jumped into his arms. After that, everyone got into Darien's   
  
black BMW and drove to the nearest restaurant around.  
  
~Meanwhile on Tour~  
  
"Hey Jeff, you think we going to head back to Japan after we stop at Hong   
  
Kong?" asked Drew, sitting in the corner reading his newspaper.  
  
"Yeah, I'm dying of boredom being locked up in this jet and the hotel all   
  
the time!" said Justin piping up we he heard something about heading back.  
  
"I don't know guys, I want this tour to be over with too, but we have to   
  
check with Mike first," answered Jeff, sighing loudly as he looked out the   
  
window at the night sky filled with thousands of shining stars.  
  
"Hey Mike, we're getting rather bored of this tour. Please give me some   
  
good news," begged Nick.  
  
"I know boys, I'm sorry to be saying this, but there are a few more stops   
  
before heading back to Japan," replied Mike, making all the guys sighs   
  
depressingly. "We'll be performing in Ireland, then over to Turkey, and thus   
  
ending up in Thailand," he read from his notebook. "Oh yeah, and you all know   
  
we'll be ending the tour in Hong Kong before we can go back to Japan," he added.  
  
"Lord have mercy upon us all," begged Drew, shaking his head tiredly.  
  
"Amen to that brother!" replied Justin, trying hard not to laugh.  
  
"I just want to go home and be with my family!" cried Jeff as he threw a   
  
pillow over at Justin. The guys busted out into laughter and started   
  
slaughtering one another with anything they could lay their hands on.  
  
~At the Restaurant~  
  
"So Darien, what have you been doing these past few months?" asked Sera   
  
after taking a sip of her White Zinfandel. She looked up at him before she   
  
plopped a piece of filet in her mouth.  
  
"Well, I just started working at Tokyo General last month, and I'll be   
  
finishing up my last year in med school next month," answered Darien, reaching   
  
for his glass of Jack Daniels and downing it. "Waitress, can I get another shot   
  
please?" he asked a nearby waitress as she passed by.  
  
"Wow, quite the drinker now huh?" joked Sera as the waitress left to get   
  
his drink order.  
  
"Actually, this is the first time in months," admitted Darien.  
  
"It's alright, I was just joking silly. Jeff loves to drink, you should   
  
have dinner with us, it would be nice for him to have a drinking companion,"   
  
replied Sera with a smile.  
  
"Hey, I just might take you up on that offer," laughed Darien as they   
  
clinked glasses and toasted to one another. While they were having dinner,   
  
Brandon was sitting their quietly sucking on his pacifier while Bubbles was near   
  
Sera's feet sleeping. Just as they toasted, all eight girls entered the   
  
restaurant laughing and talking about plans.  
  
"Oh my gosh, isn't that Sera over there having dinner with some guy?" said   
  
Nina suddenly stopping in her tracks.  
  
"Hey! It is her! Whoa, that guy is cute!" replied Stacy, smiling as she   
  
got a closer glimpser of the man.  
  
"Why, that's Darien!" said Mina in a shocked tone.  
  
"What's she doing having dinner with him?" wondered Lena curiously.  
  
"Well, whatever it is, they're both having a wonderful time," whispered   
  
Lillian as the group was escorted to a nearby table.  
  
"Maybe we should go by and say hi, just to you know, say hi!" suggested   
  
Kae, stuttering slightly. They all agreed and headed over to Sera's table to   
  
say hi and other stuff.  
  
"Hey Serena!" called out Lena, smiling as she walked over and picked   
  
Brandon up to give him a kiss. "What are you doing here babe?" she asked.  
  
"Just having dinner with Darien, we ran into one another at the park   
  
earlier," answered Sera, giving all the girls curious looks. "Why, does it look   
  
like I'm committing a crime?" she asked, eyeing everyone.  
  
"No, not at all!" answered Nina suddenly laughing. "We're just curious   
  
you know," she added to save them from the interrogation.  
  
"Evening ladies," said Darien, smiling as he set his drink back down.   
  
Everyone smiled and said hello. "Why don't you all join us for dinner since   
  
you're here already, might as well right?" asked Darien, smiling at them.  
  
"Sure why not!" answered Stacy, smiling at Darien with stars in her eyes.  
  
"Actually, you guys can enjoy the rest of your dinner, I must be getting   
  
home to put this little bad boy to bed," said Sera, laughing as she took Brandon   
  
out of Lena's arms. "Have fun girls!" called out Sera as she grabbed Bubbles'   
  
leash and left before anyone could say anything.  
  
"Wait, you came here in my car remember!" yelled Darien after he   
  
remembered whose car they had taken.  
  
"It's okay, she can just have Henry drop her off and he'll come back for   
  
us later," answered Mina, smiling as they all took their seats and ordered   
  
dinner. Everyone shrugged and all decided to enjoy their dinners.  
  
After leaving the restaurant, Sera found Henry sitting outside, so she   
  
asked him to give her a ride back to the park to get her car. "Thanks Henry,   
  
that was very kind of you," said Sera as she placed Brandon in the car and Henry   
  
put his stroller in the trunk for her.  
  
"No problem miss, all part of my job," laughed Henry as he tipped his hat   
  
over a little and bowed before leaving.  
  
"Okay kiddo, lets get you home and into your bed," said Sera, hopping into   
  
the driver's seat and driving back to the condo.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Hi everyone! Sorry I only wrote two chapters last week, I had to go out of town   
  
to visit my boyfriend because he's leaving the country for vacation for a month!   
  
Anyway, I'm back now and I'll be adding a few more chapters this time. I'm   
  
thinking sequel, but I haven't had time to decide what just yet. Ja Ne for now! 


	14. Fourteen

Hi again everyone! Hope you've all been enjoying everything so far. Anyway,   
  
I've just decided to add a new twist! ::giggles:: I got it from a dream I had,   
  
weird huh? Oh well, I think you'll like it! It has lots of suspense! One more   
  
thing: I don't own Sailor Moon or any of the original characters so don't sue   
  
me because I've been too lazy to put disclaimers on every chapter! Ja!  
  
No Turning Back~  
  
After interrupting Darien's dinner with Serena, the girls all went home   
  
and stayed up all night talking about what was on their minds. Over at Sera's   
  
place, she was busy putting her son to bed and feeding Bubbles.  
  
"Okay, you be a good girls and watch the house for mommy okay?" asked   
  
Sera, scratching Bubbles behind the ear gently. "I'm going to bed now, be on   
  
the look out!" she laughed, turning to enter her bedroom.  
  
~Meanwhile @ Raye's~  
  
"Do you really think I've been that harsh on Serena all these years   
  
honey?" asked Raye, leaning further back into her husband's arms.  
  
"A little babe, even the girls have said so," answered Chad, rubbing her   
  
arms.  
  
"Well, maybe I should give her a call. I've ignored her for far too   
  
long," thought Raye quietly. {A.N. Yeah, I decided to put Raye back into the   
  
story. Just because it's not a true Sailor Moon Fan Fiction without all the   
  
scouts!}  
  
"I heard she just had a baby. Well, actually that was like over two   
  
months ago," said Chad, scratching his head, unsure of the exact date.  
  
"Yeah, I've been too busy with the shrine and little Cassie to even read   
  
up on news about that," laughed Raye as she looked over at her daughter's crib.  
  
"Well, I'm sure she'll understand, given the fact that she has her own   
  
now," replied Chad, smiling at his little girl's sleeping form.  
  
"Well, tomorrow you can take over while I give her a visit okay?" said   
  
Raye.  
  
"Sure, no problem babe!" answered Chad as he turned out the lights and the   
  
both went to bed. Tomorrow would be a big day for both him and Raye, because   
  
he's never actually taken care of his daughter alone before! {A.N. That might   
  
actually be fun to watch! Oh yeah, Raye and Chad are married, cute huh? Their   
  
daughter is only one.} The next morning, Raye set everything up for Chad to   
  
make it easier on him and then headed off to find Serena's house. When she   
  
reached the condo she hesitated before knocking, unsure of what to do or say to   
  
Serena.  
  
"Oh my god, hi Raye!" screamed Sera excitedly as she saw Raye standing   
  
their at her door. Brandon was in her arms drinking his milk quietly when Raye   
  
looked down and smiled at him. "Let me introduce you to my son Brandon," said   
  
Sera, smiling at her precious little baby.  
  
"He's quite the looker. Maybe my daughter might someday fall for him!"   
  
laughed Raye as they both walked over to the sofa and sat down.  
  
"Oh wow, I can't believe you're actually here. I mean, after all this   
  
time!" cried Sera, tears running down her cheeks. Raye looked at her shocked   
  
and Sera tried to correct her error before any misunderstandings were assumed.   
  
"No, not like that! I just thought you hated me or something," she added.  
  
"Yeah, that's why I came here in the first place. I wanted to formally   
  
apologize to you Serena. My behavior back then was completely uncalled for and   
  
disrespectful," replied Raye quietly.  
  
"Oh Raye, you know I'd never hold a grudge on you for hating my childish   
  
behaviors," said Sera as she pulled Raye into a hug. After that the two spent   
  
the next few hours catching up on one another's lives. Sera found out that Chad   
  
was Raye's husband and that Cassie was only a year old. But all that was cut   
  
short when Sera's videophone rang.  
  
"Well, I'm just going to head home so you can have some privacy okay?   
  
I'll call you and we can have lunch sometime with the girls!" called out Raye   
  
before walking out the door and shutting it behind her.  
  
"Okay bye!" replied Sera, smiling and waving back to Raye. "Hello?" she   
  
answered, turning the screen on afterwards.  
  
"Hi honey, what took you so long?" asked Jeff smiling at his wife.  
  
"Oh, Raye was just here! Sorry it took a while sweetie," answered Sera.   
  
"So, where are you now? Almost home?" she questioned impatiently.  
  
"We're in Thailand, just got here actually. It's been a rough couple of   
  
weeks for us actually. I just called because I finally got some quiet time and   
  
I missed hearing your voice," said Jeff, touching the screen.  
  
"I miss you just as badly baby," said Sera, smiling sadly at her husband.   
  
"Brandon does too!" she added, laughing quietly.  
  
"Tell him daddy misses him very much too! And he'll be home to see both   
  
his babies soon!" cried Jeff happily, laughing as well.  
  
Just then Justin peeped into Jeff's room saying, "Hey Jeff, we need to   
  
work on this new song before Mike gets grumpy!"  
  
"Damn, never any peace and quiet!" said Jeff angrily. "I'm sorry honey, I   
  
have to go. Give Brandon a kiss for me! Love you!" he called out before   
  
switching the phone off.  
  
"Well, that was just weird!" said Sera, looking very confused as she hung   
  
up as well. "Okay Brandon, why don't you take a nap so mommy can work on   
  
something," she said, placing Brandon into his bassinet and pulling out her   
  
journal. Ever since Jeff left for the tour, Sera had taken up writing poetry,   
  
and she's grown quite accustomed to it.  
  
~On Tour~  
  
"Damn Mike, I really am getting tired of this!" cried out Justin grumpily.  
  
"No kidding, I agree!" shouted Drew from his corner.  
  
"Okay, this song sounds like crap guys," admitted Nick, seriously.  
  
"For Christ sake, everything sounds crappie these days!" argued Jeff   
  
annoyed with all the nonsense.  
  
"You guys sound like you're falling apart," said Mike, rolling his eyes as   
  
he sipped his coffee.  
  
"Oh shut the hell up! We're all going nuts from being locked up in this   
  
nut house for so long!" yelled Justin.  
  
"Okay that's it guys, everyone just go to their rooms okay? Relax and   
  
we'll discuss this tomorrow morning in a civilized manner," ordered Nick.  
  
"Yeah, maybe some quiet time will calm us down," whispered Jeff, running   
  
his hand through his hair. He went into his room and locked the door before   
  
trying to call Sera back. "Wonder what she's been up to lately?" he thought.  
  
"Hello?" answered Sera tiredly.  
  
"Sorry to disturb you again princess. Busy?" asked Jeff quietly.  
  
"No, just writing some poems," answered Sera, stretching a little.  
  
"Since when did you write?" questioned Jeff curiously.  
  
"Poems? Or in general?" laughed Sera.  
  
"Poems silly, I'm not that ignorant. If I said in general, you'd yell at   
  
me!" said Jeff trying hard not to laugh.  
  
"Well, ever since you left I started writing poems to keep my feelings   
  
stored up somewhere," admitted Sera sheepishly.  
  
"Wow, am I going to get to read them some day?" Jeff asked, impressed at   
  
his wife's attachment to her new hobby.  
  
"Maybe... maybe not," shrugged Sera, giggling quietly so she wouldn't wake   
  
Brandon from his slumber.  
  
"Well gee, aren't you the stinker," said Jeff sarcastically. "That's   
  
okay, I don't want to read them anyways!" he argued, trying not to sound a   
  
little let down. "Anyhow, what have you been up to since I've been gone?" he   
  
asked, changing the subject.  
  
"Nothing much, watching the house and being a good mother, you know. The   
  
usually," answered Sera, smiling at him cheerily.  
  
"Seen anybody?" wondered Jeff, trying to stir up good conversation.  
  
"Actually, yeah. I had dinner with Darien the other night, and the girls   
  
ended up joining us as well!" Sera answered looking at him with mischief.  
  
"Really? How did that happen?" Jeff inquired.  
  
"Ran into him at the park," replied Sera.  
  
"And he invited you to dinner? Just like that? Was his girlfriend   
  
there?" said Jeff, firing question after question at her quickly.  
  
"Um, are you angry honey?" asked Sera, looking somewhat confused.  
  
"No, not at all" was all Jeff responded with. The rest of the   
  
conversation was pretty much filled with silence. Sera tried to get him to talk   
  
several times but failed nonetheless.  
  
"What's wrong with you today?" asked Sera, tired of being given the cold   
  
shoulder for no apparent reason.  
  
"Nothing. Why, am I wasting your time?" Jeff fired back at her quickly.   
  
A long moment of silence followed soon after that. "I'm tired, you should let   
  
me go for tonight," said Jeff sternly.  
  
"Okay... Good night... Bye," whispered Sera quietly, trying hard not to   
  
cry.  
  
"Bye," replied Jeff, hanging up abruptly. As soon as she heard him slam   
  
the phone onto the receiver, tears began to stream down her face one by one.  
  
"God... why is he acting this way?" wondered Sera as she cried softly into   
  
her arms. Her journal fell from the bed and hit the floor with a loud thud   
  
making Brandon wake up form his sleep. As Sera sat there crying in bed, Brandon   
  
was crying his tiny little lungs out in his crib, unaware by his mother.  
  
Meanwhile, Raye had called the other girls up when she got home and told   
  
them of the good news. So they all agreed to get together the following day for   
  
lunch. Raye asked Mina if she could let Serena know of the time and place, so   
  
Mina said she'd give her a call as soon as she could. "Wonder what's taking her   
  
so long to pick up?" asked Mina, looking over at Lena, who only shrugged back.  
  
"Why don't we just go over and tell her in person then?" wondered Lena out   
  
loud as the thought struck her.   
  
"Great, let's head over there right now then!" chimed Mina excitedly.   
  
They got into Mina's white Honda s2000 and drove over to Sera's condo.  
  
When they got to the door, Lena thought she heard a noise coming form   
  
within so she leaned into the door to listen. "Hey, is that Brandon crying?"   
  
she asked sounding very confused.  
  
"No way, Sera would get right to him if he ever started wailing," replied   
  
Mina quickly. She leaned into the door too and heard the baby's cry also. Lena   
  
began ringing the doorbell insistently, trying to answer.  
  
"Damn, maybe something happened!" cried Lena, pounding on the door harder.  
  
"Hold on, I think I know where Sera leaves her spare key!" cried Mina   
  
looking for the fake rock decoration. She lifted it, and there lying inside the   
  
rock was a spare key.  
  
"Hurry, the poor thing must've been crying for quite a while now!" said   
  
Lena shakily. As soon as Mina opened the door, Lena ran quickly inside and   
  
found Brandon in his crib crying loudly.  
  
"Sera!" called out Mina, walking around the house. "Maybe she's in the   
  
room," thought Mina, opening the bedroom door slowly. There on the bed, fast   
  
asleep with tearstains dried on her face, was where Mina found Sera. "Oh god,   
  
was she crying?" whispered Mina quietly.  
  
"Mina, did you find..." began Lena entering Sera's bedroom, becoming   
  
speechless at the sight before her. "What the..." was all she could say before   
  
Mina ushered her out of the room.  
  
"She's been crying. I think she cried herself to sleep too," whispered   
  
Mina quietly. "Wonder why," she questioned.  
  
"Maybe we should wake her," suggested Lena as she cradled Brandon in her   
  
arms gently. Mina shook her head and walked over to the videophone to check its   
  
caller id.  
  
"Last person to talk to her was Jeff. You think they got into an   
  
argument?" asked Mina as she walked back into the room to take a look around.   
  
Her shoe bumped into something on the floor and she bent down to see what it   
  
was, finding a big back book. "Looks like a journal," she said quietly,   
  
flipping through the pages quickly.  
  
"Hey wait, there is the last page she left off at," said Lena as soon as   
  
she noticed where the words stopped. They both skimmed through it and saw the   
  
last line written on there by Sera.   
  
'How can you be so cold and distant to me sometimes?  
  
Was it something I said or something I didn't do right?  
  
Whatever the reason, I just wish you would let me know...  
  
Who is to blame when I'm here crying and you're miles away.  
  
Baby won't you say a word to me... just one little word?  
  
Tell me you love me still and I'll no longer worry or cry.  
  
As long as I know the vows we made still hold strong...  
  
Because baby, when you treat me this way... it hurts me so.'  
  
"Wow," said Lena and Mina at the same time. They shut the book and put it   
  
back on Sera's bed before leaving her to sleep peacefully in her room alone.   
  
Deciding she needed some quiet time, they took Brandon back to the penthouse   
  
with them, leaving behind a single note.  
  
Sera,  
  
We thought you'd like to have some time to yourself so we took   
  
Brandon with us. Don't worry, we'll take good care of your precious baby. Meet   
  
us tomorrow at Lita's bistro for lunch okay? Hope you feel better!  
  
All Our Love,  
  
Mina & Lena  
  
~Day After~  
  
Everyone gathered at Lita's newly opened café called "Silver Memories".   
  
Mina, Amy, Lita, Raye were all the first ones to arrive. Lena, Lillian, Nina,   
  
Stacy, and Kaye arrived soon afterwards. Brandon of course kept them all   
  
entertained until the main guest arrived.  
  
"Hey Sera!" called out Lena, jumping up to give her sister a big hug.  
  
"Hi girls, thanks for watching him for me. Rough day yesterday,"   
  
explained Sera, smiling faintly at the girls before glancing over a menu.  
  
"What's wrong Sere?" questioned Lita, pushing the menu away from Serena's   
  
face. "You can't fool us honey, we know you!" she added.  
  
"Nothing, Jeff and I just had a little dispute," admitted Sera quietly,   
  
trying to find something to keep her eyes busy with.  
  
"What did that stupid brother of mine do now?" asked Lena, sighing   
  
exasperatedly.  
  
"Nothing, nothing at all. I' not even sure what happened myself!" cried   
  
Sera in disbelief. "I mean, one moment we're talking fine and then he just all   
  
of a sudden started ignoring me. I don't know what I said to tick him off   
  
either!" she said, throwing her arms up in defeat.  
  
"You know how guys can be girl," replied Raye, trying to comfort her.  
  
"Well, why don't you tell us exactly what all you two said to one   
  
another," suggested Nina, taking a bite from her burger.  
  
"Okay. He called and told me about the tour and when they would be coming   
  
home. Then he asked me what I had been doing recently and I told him that I'd   
  
been taking care of Brandon and the house," said Sera, thinking over the   
  
conversation once more.  
  
"Nothing else?" asked Lena, recalling that she didn't mention her dinner   
  
with Darien.  
  
"What about that dinner with Darien where we ran into you?" Stacy reminded   
  
her quietly.  
  
"Oh yeah! I told him about that too!" Sera recalled. "Do you think he's   
  
mad because of that?" she asked a little surprised.  
  
"Maybe..." answered all the girls simultaneously.  
  
"Why that's absurd! Jeff trusts me! He even said it would be nice if   
  
Darien would be Brandon's godfather! So why on earth would he be mad at me for   
  
having dinner with Darien?!" cried Sera in outrage.  
  
"Maybe Jeff was just having a bad day and what you said didn't make him   
  
feel any happier," said Kaye, trying to come up with a logical reason.  
  
"Doesn't matter, I'll speak to him myself later," said Sera, tired of   
  
dealing with all the nonsense. The girls all shrugged it off and started   
  
talking about other things that were more interesting while they had lunch.  
  
~98 Degrees Tour~  
  
"Damn Jeff, how come Lena called me saying that she and Mina had to take   
  
care of Brandon for Sera the other day? What's that all about?" asked Nick,   
  
curious as to what was going on. "And from the look of it, she seemed pretty   
  
ticked off about it. What's going on between you and Sera man?" he added.  
  
"Nothing, just a little tiff that's all. I think I was just aggravated   
  
because of everything that's happening on this tour and took it out on her,"   
  
answered Jeff shamefully. "I didn't mean to, it just sort of happened. I mean,   
  
especially when she said she had dinner with Darien alone with the baby, that   
  
just pushed me over the edge," he admitted.  
  
"So what's the big deal? I thought you were cool with Darien, I mean   
  
isn't he Brandon's godfather?" asked Nick giving Jeff a ridiculous look.  
  
"Yeah, I don't know what came over me," replied Jeff quietly.  
  
"Well, whatever you decide, just don't get Sera distraught over it. I   
  
mean she's weak enough as it is already. And to top it off she has a baby to   
  
take care of for the both of you!" cried Nick, leaving Jeff alone in his room   
  
with a slam of the door.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Okay peoples.. That's all I'm going to be writing for this week.. Sorry, I've   
  
been having problems and haven't been able to write much lately.. My parents   
  
just left the country on vacation and my boyfriend is leaving soon and summer   
  
school for college starts soon.. But I promise to have at least four chapters up   
  
next week.. Most likely an ending and sequel to follow within the next two   
  
weeks. Ja Ne! 


	15. Fifteen

Hey everyone! I'm so sorry about the delays on those last few chapters! I keep

forgetting to change my files to the right format. Oh well, at least now I have a little

extra time to wrap this story up. I had a really sad vision of how my story will end, but I

sort of think it'll make the second part better. Well, guess there is only one way to find

out. Ja Ne!

No Turning Back~

Sitting there in his room, Jeff thought of everything Sera was being put through,

and he realized what a complete jerk he had been.

"I guess I should apologize, better sooner than later," said Jeff, reaching for

the videophone and calling his house. Sera picked up but her face didn't show up on the

monitor, so he could only hear her say 'Hello?' and nothing else. "Honey? Why didn't

you turn the monitor on?" asked Jeff curiously.

"Sorry honey, I'm not feeling well and I don't look too good. Don't want you to

worry so I'd rather you not see my appearance as of yet," answered Sera in a solemn tone.

"What's wrong babe? Are you sick? Why don't you tell me sweetie?" asked Jeff,

now more worried than ever.

"It's nothing sweetheart, I just look really bad," replied Sera quietly.

"C'mon now, I've seen you sick before, and you've never hid yourself from me

baby," laughed Jeff, trying to lighten the mood up a little.

"Yeah, that's because you were always around Jeff. Now I can actually avoid you

seeing me look like a monster!" cried Sera as she laughed.

"So you and the baby are both doing ok right? Can I at least see him?" begged

Jeff, hoping she'd go soft on him. It had been weeks since he last saw his son and he

missed him dearly.

"Okay, I guess so since you haven't been able to spend any time with him. I

cannot deny my baby's father the chance to see his only son!" she laughed as she walked

over and picked Brandon up from his playpen. "Say hi to daddy Brandon," whispered

Sera, flipping the monitor on as she sat him in front of the screen.

"Hi kiddo! How's my favorite little tike holding up? Miss me?" asked Jeff,

smiling as he saw Brandon reach over and touch the screen with a little drool on his

mouth. "Wow, you've gotten big son!" laughed Jeff as Brandon tried to grab the screen

and play with it.

"No baby, mama doesn't like it when you play with her toys!" laughed Sera,

bending over and grabbing him before he leapt for the videophone.

"Honey!" cried Jeff, startling Sera. "Why do you look like you haven't slept in

days?!" asked Jeff, shocked when he saw his wife's appearance. Even if it was a quick

glimpse, he still saw the bags under her eyes and the tired look she had.

"Oh, that. Brandon has been very fussy lately, and it's tiring trying to get him to

go to bed," explained Sera, sitting down in front of the monitor with Brandon in her lap.

"Don't worry, I'm sure tonight he'll be too exhausted to keep me up," she said, trying to

comfort her husband a little.

"Oh baby, I'm so sorry I can't be there to help you. I know how hard it is on you

being alone with the baby and all. I promise I won't leave you two ever again after this,"

said Jeff, smiling sadly at his wife and son.

"I don't blame you honey, it's hard work being a international superstar and all,"

replied Sera as Brandon started playing with her long hair. "Which reminds me, aren't

you due back any week now honey?" inquired Sera, eyes twinkling with excitement as

she asked him. Jeff laughed at the cute sight his wife displayed, just like a little girl.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, we're coming back next week!" answered Jeff, happy to

be finally reunited with his family. "Are you and Brandon going to come pick me up at

the airport?" he asked, knowing full well that they'd be there.

"Jeffrey Brandon Timmons! How dare you ask such an absurd question! You

know very well that the baby and I have missed you terribly, so I'll be damned if you

think we won't be there when you arrive!" shouted Sera, putting Brandon down and

shaking her finger furiously at him.

"Calm down baby. I know, I was just joking," chuckled Jeff, trying to hold back

his laughter. Seeing Sera angry always made him laugh, she just looked so cute! "Well,

I'll be back by next Friday at the latest, I'll give you a call when I know the exact time

alright?" asked Jeff, double checking to see if she'd be busy or not.

"Yeah, but don't forget because I don't want to be late!" argued Sera, grabbing

Brandon before he crawled near the edge of the bed.

"Well okay then, I'll call you soon as I can. Give the baby a kiss for me, I love

you," said Jeff, placing his hand on the screen.

"Love you too honey," replied Sera, kissing her fingers and touching the screen

where his fingers supposedly were. "Bye," she whispered as his image disappeared from

the monitor and it automatically turned off. "Well Brandon, daddy will be home soon!

Aren't you just excited my little angel?!" cooed Sera, cradling him in her arms.

~Over at Penthouse~

"Hey Lena, you think Sera and Jeff have made up by now yet? I mean, it's been

like what, almost a week now?" wondered Nina as she looked up from her book.

"Quite possibly so, you know how much they can't stand being mad at one

another," laughed Lena, sitting down by the window sill.

"Hey guys! Come look at this!" cried Lillian, turning the volume to the television

on higher. "The boys are on T.V.!" she added as all the girls came rushing over to watch.

"98 Degrees has just announced that their tour will be over in a week. They have

also said that they will be returning to Tokyo, Japan to be with family. Is this the end of

98 Degrees or will the band stay alive?" said the reporter, making it sound more catching

to the audience. "We'll keep you updated with the latest breaking news on 98 Degrees as

soon as we hear word," the reporter added as the screen shot to another reporter.

"Yes! I get to see Nick next week!" cried Lena, getting up form her seat and

jumping all around excitedly.

"About time those guys came back, it's been almost four months now. I mean,

they said three, and then they tell us that they added all these damn extra stops. I bet Sera

will be glad to have her man back," thought Stacy, smiling as she thought of her friend.

"Well you know, they haven't had concerts in a while, so it's good that they got in

as many as they could. Now they won't be burdened to do any more concerts for some

time," replied Kaye, quietly from her place at the bar.

~A Week Later on Tour~

"Damn, sure glad this thing is over!" cried Drew happily, leaning back into his

recliner. "You don't know how much I miss Kaye," he whispered quietly with a smile.

"Dude! I knew you had a thing for her!" laughed Justin, throwing a pillow at him.

"You going to ask her out when we get home?" he asked.

"You think she'll say yes?" wondered Drew, a little unsure.

"I'll bet she does Drew, who could not like my little brother! I mean, good looks

run in our family!" laughed Nick as Drew shoved him in the arm.

"Okay guys, calm down. We're all happy to be going home, so let's settle down

and think about getting some gifts for those ladies," said Jeff, smiling as he saw all the

guys eyes widen in shock.

"Crap, almost forgot! Hey Mike, we need to run and buy some presents real

quick, so don't leave without us!" yelled Justin as he grabbed Drew and they both headed

out the hotel room.

"We'll be back in like two hours at the most Mike," laughed Jeff as he and Nick

hurried and caught up with Drew and Justin.

"What are you getting Sera man?" asked Nick, trying to pry some ideas out of

him for Lena's gift.

"I don't know yet, I mean she loves shopping. So she probably has everything

you can imagine already," laughed Jeff as they got into the limo outside. After doing

some major window-shopping the guys all decided to purchase a few gifts. They each

got Sera and Lena, as well as all the other girls, gifts and trinkets. As soon as all the

presents were wrapped, the boys headed back to the hotel and packed their things.

"Hey, you think Lena will like the ring I got her?" asked Nick while he and Jeff

put al the bags of presents by the door for the bellboys to take down.

"No doubt about it, it's a real beauty Nick," comforted Jeff, trying to get Nick's

uneasy feeling to subside. After everyone and all the bags were put into the van, the guys

got into the limo and they all drove out to the airport where their plane was being prepped

for flight. "Okay guys, I heard the pilot say this flight should be real smooth. And short

to boot! Only five hours and we are home baby!" laughed Nick as he got into his seat

and buckled up.

~Sera & Jeff's Condo~

"Oh my god, the boys will be home in like a few hours and none of us are even

ready to go pick them up yet!" cried Lena as she ran around the condo looking for her

make-up bag.

"Calm down girl, we're all in a hurry too, but you'll look really ugly if you keep

freaking out like this!" yelled Nina as she grabbed Lena and sat her down in front of the

vanity and placed a make-up bag in front of her. "It is right here, so keep your cool and

get ready for your man," she whispered, walking into a restroom to change.

"Hey girls! Can someone watch Brandon for me while I curl my hair? He keeps

reaching for the iron while I put my make-up on and it's freaking me out!" shouted Sera

frantically. Brandon was in her arms sucking on his thumb trying to look innocent.

"Alright, come to Auntie," said Stacy, taking Brandon from Sera.

"Thanks girl, you're a doll!" laughed Sera, running back to her room to finish her

make-up and curling her hair. After she finished, she changed into a sheer lace, pink

spaghetti-strap sundress and clipped her hair up with a claw. "Okay Brandon, time for

you to change too!" said Sera, taking him from Stacy's arms and heading into the nursery

to grab an outfit for him to wear.

"Lillian, are you done yet girl? Kaye still needs to change and stuff!" called Stacy

as she walked out of the kitchen with a drink. She was wearing a white blouse and a lilac

skirt that was knee-length.

"Okay, all done. Go work your magic and look beautiful for Drew Kaye!"

laughed Lillian, coming out from the restroom in a baby blue mini-skirt with matching

halter-top. She spun around for Stacy and smiled when got a nod.

"Okay, how do I look? Good, bad, or incredibly sexy?" asked Lena, laughing at

the last option. She was wearing a white tube top underneath a red transparent shirt and a

black skirt that with slit on both sides.

"Good enough to make him drop dead girl," laughed Sera, winking at Lena.

"Okay, everyone done?" asked Lena looking around.

"No, Kaye is still in their changing," said Stacy. Kaye came out of the restroom

wearing a pale yellow sundress with a white cardigan wrapped around her shoulders

slightly. She smiled at the girls and blushed as they all whistled at her.

"Looking good Kayla!" cried Nina, nudging her in the arms. She was wearing a

sundress as well, only hers had three layers of sheer lace. The top outside layer was

aquamarine green, the layer underneath that was baby blue, and the bottom layer was

transparent white. {A.N. It looks really cool, it's actually a dress that I bought from

Express, but I made a few changes to the layer colors!}

"Okay, lets get going, the boys should be here in like 2 hours and we don't want

to be stuck in traffic!" suggested Lillian as she grabbed her purse and headed out the

door. Everyone followed suit, grabbing their purses as they left. Sera locked the condo

before heading down to the driveway.

"Okay, who is riding with me and Brandon?" asked Sera, placing Brandon into

his car seat and getting into the car.

"Stacy is riding with me Sera!" called out Lena as they got into her white Supra.

"Okay, then that leaves Kaye, Nina and Lillian. Are you girls riding with me or

taking the Land Cruiser?" asked Sera, putting her Armani shades on.

"Nina and I can take the Land Cruiser. Why don't you ride with Sera, Kaye?"

suggested Lillian. "That way we'll have more room for the boys too, since Henry won't

be there to pick the boys up," she added.

"Yeah, you're right. Good idea. Okay, let's head on out girls!" cried Sera as she

turned her engine on and drove out her driveway with the Supra and Land Cruiser right

behind her. {A.N. sorry, I just love cars so I have to have the very best in my story!}

~Airport~

"Welcome back to Tokyo boys," announced the pilot, shutting the jet's engine off

and turning the seatbelt sign off. The guys all stretched, smiling brightly at one another.

"Later Mike! Bye Kyle! Bye Jason!" called out Nick as he stepped off the jet

and walked down the stairs.

"You know what Jeff, Jason and Kyle are the best pilots ever. We should send

them a present or let them go on vacation after this. I think they deserve it!" suggested

Drew, running down the stairs and jumping off the last few.

"We'll talk about that later. Look ahead boys, is that the nicest sight you've ever

seen or what?" said Nick as he pointed to the six lovely ladies standing at the end of the

red carpet a few yards away.

"I have to agree with you on that one man, I've never seen anything that looked

so good before," replied Justin taking his shades off.

"Jeff!" cried Sera excitedly as she ran towards him, leaving Brandon in the

stroller beside Lillian. Jeff stepped off the stairs and looked up when he heard his name.

Taking off his shades, he saw his wife just as she jumped into his arms unexpectedly.

"Oh god Sera, I've missed you so much baby," whispered Jeff as he held Sera in

his arms tightly. "I'm so glad to be home!" he laughed joyously, picking Sera up and

twirling her around in his arms.

"Okay you two, are you guys leaving someone out?" shouted Nina, laughing as

she pushed Brandon's stroller over to his parents. "See, look what you did. You got

Nick and Lena doing it too!" she laughed, pointing towards the couple kissing.

"Hey there kiddo! Did you miss your daddy?" cooed Jeff, picking Brandon up

from his stroller and tossing him in the air lightly. "I missed you very much son," he

whispered, placing a kiss on Brandon's forehead as he wrapped an arm around Sera's

waist and they headed over to the group.

"You guys ready to go home now?" asked Stacy, smiling at all the happy couples

and looking towards the cars parked nearby. Everyone agreed and hopped into the cars

and drove back to Sera and Jeff's home. Drew and Nick drove back with Kaye and Lena,

while Justin drove back with Lillian and Stacy. Leaving Jeff and his family in his car.

~Home~

"God it's good to be home!" said Jeff happily, taking his shoes off and plopping

down on a sofa. Everyone piled into the condo and sat down to rest and talk.

"So… Where's our presents?" asked Sera suddenly, holding out her hand in front

of Jeff. "And don't tell me you forgot because I'll be very disappointed," she added.

"I knew you'd ask that as soon as we got home honey," laughed Jeff, getting up

and walking over to his baggage. "Hope you like it, or at least don't have something

similar already!" replied Jeff, placing a small box in her palm.

"We have presents for you too Sera!" replied Justin as he went and pulled out his

gift to her. "Don't worry! You girls have presents too, but you'll get them when we get

home," he added, knowing the other girls would question him.

"Wow, so we all have presents from each of you guys?" asked Lena, looking

pleased yet taken back. "That's so sweet of you boys!" said Lena when they all nodded.

"Okay, after Drew and I find our gifts for you and Brandon, we're leaving okay,"

said Nick as he reached in his bag for the two presents. Drew gave Sera two more

presents while Justin laced a little bag on the sofa.

"What's that Justin?" asked Sera curiously.

"Just a few things I got for Brandon. Couldn't decide which one he'd like, so I

got them all!" laughed Justin as he waved good-bye to Sera, Jeff and Brandon. Everyone

headed out the door one by one, and finally Sera and Jeff were alone.

"Come here you," whispered Sera, as she yanked on Jeff's shirt and pulled him

towards her and kissed him passionately. Jeff moaned in response and wrapped his arms

around her body.

"God, how I've missed your kisses," replied Jeff after they pulled away.

"God I've missed having you near me," whispered Sera as she hugged him

tightly. Just then, Brandon yelled and threw his rattle at Jeff. "Guess he feels left out,"

she laughed, bending down to pick him up.

"Yes, I miss and love you too Brandon," replied Jeff, wrapping his arms around

Sera and kissing them both on their heads. Sera put Brandon down for his nap after a

while and helped Jeff unpack his things. "Why don't you open your presents now?" he

suggested, putting away his suitcases.

"Okay!" answered Sera a little too excited. Drew had given her a photo album

made of silver with Jeff, Brandon and her name all engraved on it. Justin gave her a

crystal music box that was shaped like a tiny grand piano. Nick's present was a Gucci watch.

"Wow, the guys didn't have to go all out," said Sera, as she placed the gifts back into

their boxes and smiled at Jeff. She reached for his present and he stopped her.

"That's not the entire present, I had them deliver the second half. It should be

here already, so you can go ahead and open it now," said Jeff, smiling mischievously.

"Okay," answered Sera excitedly as she slowly unwrapped the box. Inside the

box was a tiny velvet box. Confused, Sera slowly open the box to find a set of keys.

"What the…" she replied with an awkward look in her eyes. "Honey, what's this?" she

asked him curiously.

"Come outside real quick and you'll see," answered Jeff, leading Sera out to the

balcony and pointing down to the driveway. There sitting behind Jeff's convertible

Lexus SC430 was a brand new silver Mercedes-Benz CLK430. When Sera saw the car,

she was speechless and shocked beyond belief. "I take it you like it?" he asked, laughing

as she nodded her head and leaned over to get a closer look. {A.N. I just remembered I

never told you what kind of Lexus Jeff had, sorry.}

"You had this flown in just for me?" asked Sera in disbelief. "Oh my god honey,

it's beautiful! Thank you so much! I love it!" she cried suddenly, jumping into his arms

and hugging him. Jeff laughed as Sera screamed loudly in happiness, waking Brandon up

form his nap as well. A little while later, after she had cooled off and gotten Brandon to

stop crying, they had their first dinner together as a family in months.

And the gang, they were all unpacked and spent from the day's events. Nick

finally presented Lena with the white gold, 2kt diamond ring and proposed to her. Drew

had given Kaye a diamond tennis bracelet. And all the others gifts were as great as the

ones Sera received. One by one they all headed off to bed after enjoying their dinner

together and telling Jeff and Sera of the news.

~A Few Months Later~

Everyone was enjoying the time they had together again and things were going

great. Jeff and Darien had become really close and even great friends in that time and

were spending more and more time together. Darien was still single and had already

graduated with his doctorate and was now an official Doctor at Tokyo General. Brandon

was celebrating his first birthday today. {A.N. At least that is what I think he should be. I

completely forgot to set my time frame in each chapter to keep up!}

"Honey, are you going to pick up the French cake I ordered for Brandon today?

The party is in like 4 hours and I want it at Lita's bistro before the party starts!" said Sera,

slipping Brandon into a pair of infant Addidas. He was wearing a pair of khaki shorts

and a white Polo shirt as well as a tiny sun visor. "Wow, doesn't my little boy look all

grown up now?" she laughed as she placed him into his playpen and went to change into

her suit as well.

"Okay honey, I'm off to the bakers now. Meet you at Lita's in an hour okay?

Don't be late sweetheart!" reminded Jeff as he headed out the door and took off to pick

up the cake and some balloons.

"I hope I have enough time to change and do my hair still. Have to remind to

bring all the presents Grandma and Grandpa Timmons sent us as well as mom and

dad's," said Sera, talking out loud to herself. She put on her baby blue skirt and a white

blouse, grabbing her matching blazer she adorned herself with some jewelry and

hurriedly put everything she needed into her car. "C'mon birthday boy!" she said,

smiling as she picked Brandon up after spraying some perfume on herself and leaving the

condo. She took off to the bistro shortly after buckling Brandon into his car seat.

~Party~

"Hey Sera! Where's Jeff with the cake girl?" asked Lita as she helped Sera carry

some bags into the restaurant.

"I don't know, he left like an hour ago Lita. That's odd, he should've been here

by now," said Sera, sitting Brandon down into a high chair and dropping some of the

bags she had in her arms. "Maybe I should call him," she thought, reaching for her cell

just as it began ringing. "Hello?" she answered, a little frightened from the scare.

"Honey, I'm going to be late. Sorry, there was like so much traffic on the way to

the bakers, but I'll try to hurry as fast as I can!" said Jeff, switching lanes and speeding

up even more.

"Jeff, don't drive too fast! I want you to get here safely okay, even if you have to

be late that's fine with me!" yelled Sera worriedly.

"Okay sweetheart, don't worry about me. Why don't you go ahead and set

everything up for the part already, I'll be there in a few minutes… or less," laughed Jeff

as he once again changed lanes and exited the highway. "Okay, I'm going to let you go

now. Bye baby, see you in a few minutes," said Jeff. Just as Sera was about to say

'Bye', she could hear Jeff yell 'Oh Shit!' loudly and a huge crash following afterwards.

"Oh my god. Jeff are you okay honey?!" screamed Sera, frightened for his own

safety. "Baby, answer me! Please!" she begged, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"Sera what's wrong girl?" asked Lita, running up to her quickly.

"It's Jeff! We were just on the phone and I heard a loud crashing noise and then

he stopped talking!!" answered Sera frantically.

"It's okay, calm down Sera. Maybe the phone got cut off or something," replied

Lita, trying to comfort her.

"Can't be Lita! Why on earth would he yell 'OH SHIT!' for then?!" cried Sera

even more shaken up than before.

"Hang on, let me call Ken and ask him to go check. Jeff was nearby right?" asked

Lita, waving for Ken to come over.

"Yeah, he just got off the ramp that comes off the highway a few streets away,"

answered Sera, sniffling as she sat down and held Brandon in her arms. Lita told Ken

and he immediately jumped into his car and rushed off to find Jeff. When he got to the

off-ramp, what he found was not what he was hoping to find.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Oh My God!! What just happened? Wow, nice place to leave off for a cliffhanger huh?

::giggles:: I'm sorry, find out what happened next chapter!!


	16. Sixteen

Hi again everyone! Hope you're all excited about this chapter! Well,   
  
okay maybe not too thrilled, but I'll be happy to find a conclusion to   
  
this story and start up my sequel. Anyway, I guess I'll be picking up   
  
where I left off last chapter. Enjoy!  
  
No Turning Back~  
  
  
  
Cops were all over the place and there was an ambulance parked   
  
along the service road. Ken looked over just in time to see the   
  
emergency medical crew carry a stretcher into the ambulance and shut   
  
the door.  
  
"Excuse me sir, but you'll have to move please. We have an   
  
emergency and need all bystanders to step aside," said a police officer   
  
suddenly.  
  
"Oh no, I'm not just looking. My friend was on his way to my   
  
restaurant before we heard a crash over the cell phone and his wife   
  
believes it to be him. May I ask him the victim is a Jeffrey Timmons   
  
sir?" asked Ken respectfully but still sounding frantic.  
  
"I'm afraid so sir. He seems to have lost control of the car on   
  
the way off the ramp, it must've been the oil spill from the looks of   
  
it. His car crashed into that telephone pole over there," informed the   
  
officer, pointing over to Jeff's battered up Lexus.  
  
"Where are the EMS taking him to?" asked Ken in a hurried tone.   
  
"I must know so I can let his wife know immediately!" he added.  
  
"I was meaning to get to that. They just took him to Tokyo   
  
General, so if you don't mind, can you ask his wife to head over   
  
there," requested the officer before he bid Ken farewell and went back   
  
to taking down information about the accident. Ken jumped back into   
  
his Accord and hurried back to the restaurant, dialing Lita's cell on   
  
the way.  
  
"Hello Ken?!" answered Lita worriedly.  
  
"It's me honey. There's been a terrible accident sweetheart. We   
  
need to take Sera and Brandon to Tokyo General as quick as possible!   
  
Be outside in five minutes, so we can take off as soon as I arrive   
  
okay," instructed Ken as he turned the cell off before saying bye. He   
  
concentrated on the road and thought of poor Serena.  
  
"Lita, what's going on?" asked Sera, looking up from her hot tea.  
  
"Sera, we're going to have to head over to the hospital," said   
  
Lita quietly, trying not to sound worried.  
  
"Why, what's going on? Is Jeff okay Lita?" asked Sera suddenly   
  
very frightened for her love's safety.  
  
"I don't know quite yet, Ken didn't tell me anything but to be   
  
outside waiting," she answered solemnly. They grabbed Brandon and   
  
their purses and went outside, just as Lita locked up and left a note   
  
for the other girls, Ken pulled up and got out quickly.  
  
"Ken what's going on?!" cried Sera frustrated from being left   
  
out. Ken ran around and helped Sera and Brandon into the backseat   
  
before he and Lita got in the car as well. "Aren't you going to answer   
  
me?" asked Sera angrily.  
  
"I'm sorry but Jeff is in some trouble," answered Ken sternly as   
  
he continued driving towards the hospital. As soon as she heard that,   
  
Sera became quiet for the rest of the trip, griping her fists together   
  
tightly praying that nothing was wrong. When they arrived, the four of   
  
them ran to the front desk to ask about Jeff's whereabouts.  
  
"He was just admitted and taken into the Emergency Room. You'll   
  
have to wait until a doctor comes out to discuss further matters,"   
  
informed one of the clerks.  
  
"Sera? Is that you Sera?" called out a voice from behind them as   
  
they were heading over to the E.R. Sera and everyone turned around to   
  
find Dr. Jenkins standing there, smiling at them oddly. "What brings   
  
you back here?" she asked curiously.  
  
"Oh god Leila. Jeff was just picked up by the EMS and brought   
  
here from a car wreck!" cried Sera as she walked over to Dr. Jenkins   
  
crying.  
  
"DO you think you could find out some news on him for us Dr.   
  
Jenkins?" asked Lita, still holding Brandon in her arms.  
  
"Yes, anything I can for you guys," answered Leila as she hugged   
  
Sera before hurrying off to ask about Jeff. When she came back, she   
  
didn't look too pleased with the news. "I'm sorry Sera, they took him   
  
into operation and he won't be out for a while.   
  
Why don't you just have a seat and wait a little," she suggested   
  
calmly.  
  
~Three Hours Later~  
  
Everyone got notice of the accident and all showed up at the   
  
hospital as quickly as they could. Nick and the guys were all anxious   
  
to find out what happened and the girls were all trying to comfort Sera   
  
and watch Brandon at the same time.  
  
"Is there a Mrs. Timmons out here?" asked a male voice coming out   
  
form the operating room. Everyone looked up to find a doctor standing   
  
before them, looking around for the immediate family.  
  
"That would be me," whispered Sera, her voice groggy from crying.  
  
"My name is Dr. Bowen and I'd like to have a word with you   
  
privately please," requested the doctor formally. They walked over to   
  
a corner some distance from the group and began discussing Jeff's   
  
situation. "Mrs. Timmons, your husband suffered major cranial damage   
  
in that car wreck. I presume he must have hit whatever it was   
  
extremely hard, considering the conditions he are in at the moment,"   
  
said Dr. Bowen.  
  
"Is he okay though?" asked Sera worriedly. "I mean, he'll be   
  
fine won't he?" she prayed, desperate to hear something good from him.  
  
"I'm sorry, but as much as I'd like to be telling you otherwise,   
  
I can't lie to you. Mr. Timmons is for the time being comatose and   
  
depending on his health, he may or may not awaken," admitted Dr. Bowen   
  
sadly. "This is the main reason why I hate my job," he whispered,   
  
walking away.  
  
"No! He'll be okay, he's got to be!" cried Sera, falling to the   
  
floor in tears. Everyone ran to her just as she sunk to the floor in   
  
agony.  
  
"What did he say Sere?" asked Nick impatiently. All the waiting   
  
was making him nervous. "Please, you need to tell us or we'll go mad!"   
  
he begged her worriedly.  
  
"He said Jeff is in a coma right now, but if his conditions get   
  
worse he might not ever wake up," answered Sera as tears fell from her   
  
eyes. Immediately after seeing his mother crying, Brandon too was   
  
throwing a fit and crying, not knowing what was going on. "Can someone   
  
please take him somewhere else? I can't bear the thought of him seeing   
  
this," begged Sera from her seat on the floor.  
  
"Sere, we'll take Brandon out for a little walk and we'll be back   
  
in a few minutes okay?" replied Nina as she grabbed Brandon from Justin   
  
and told the other girls to go with her. "Take care of her for us okay   
  
guys?" she whispered to Nick and Lena before walking off.  
  
"Sera, come on girl, let me help you stand up. I'm sure Jeff   
  
will be okay; I mean he's always been a strong person. We'll just have   
  
to wait and pray for the best, but distancing yourself from your child   
  
isn't the answer," said Lena as she extended her arms out to help Sera   
  
up. "I know you're going through a horrible time right now, but we're   
  
all here with you and we'll help you pull through," she added, pulling   
  
Sera into an embrace tightly.  
  
"Yeah, you know we'd never abandon you and Jeff at a time like   
  
this Sere. You two are too important to us, we'll be by your side no   
  
matter what," promised Drew, hoping he'd get a smile out of Sera.  
  
"I know guys. And thank you, I don't know how I would've taken   
  
this if you all weren't here with me," admitted Sera, attempting to   
  
smile faintly at everyone. "Please don't worry too much, I'll be okay   
  
really, I promise," she added quietly.  
  
"Serena, do you want me to go call your parents and everyone   
  
else?" asked Lita, placing a hand on Sera's shoulder.  
  
"Could you ask Darien to stop by also, I'd like to have a talk   
  
with him as well," answered Sere, covering Lita's hand with her own for   
  
a moment before Lita went to make the calls. Ken decided he should go   
  
with Lita so that everyone could have some privacy to talk.  
  
"I'm going to see him, can you guys give me a few moments alone   
  
with Jeff please?" asked Sera, walking towards the Intensive Care Unit   
  
area where they had placed Jeff earlier.  
  
"Sure, take as long as you want Sere. Let us know when you're   
  
done and we'll come in to see him for a little bit too," answered Nick,   
  
hugging Sera tightly before letting her go.  
  
~Intensive Care Unit~  
  
"Seems like our family is attached to this room," laughed Sera in   
  
irony as she sat looked at her husband's pale dormant form. "Hi baby,"   
  
she whispered, wiping the tears from her face to get a better look at   
  
his face. "Why don't you wake up for me honey? You have to Jeff, I   
  
can't handle Brandon alone again," cried Sera in agony. "Please… Just   
  
open your eyes for me and I'll be satisfied of taking care of our son   
  
alone until you're better," she pleaded with him as tears continued   
  
falling from her eyes. She put his hand on her face and caressed it as   
  
prayed for his well-being.  
  
~Outside ICU~  
  
"Do you guys think we should be leaving her alone in there with   
  
him? I mean, she's very traumatized right now," asked Justin, thinking   
  
about Sera crying her eyes out while she watched Jeff lay there in a   
  
coma. "Maybe someone should go in and check up on her," he suggested.  
  
"No, leave her be. We all know Sera was never one to be bothered   
  
when she was sad or upset about anything," answered Nick sternly.  
  
"She'll be okay, I know she can because she knows she still has   
  
to look after Brandon for Jeff," added Lena in response. "If I know my   
  
sister well, I know she'll bargain with Jeff about taking care of their   
  
baby," she said, smiling faintly at the thought.  
  
"You know what, maybe we should as Ken and Ilene to look after   
  
Brandon for a while. You know, so Sera doesn't have to worry about   
  
both him and Jeff," suggested Drew suddenly.  
  
"Yeah, I think that's what Lita's intent was when she offered to   
  
go call Sera's parents earlier," replied Nick as he leaned against a   
  
wall to rest on. Lena walked over and wrapped her arms around him and   
  
rested her head on his chest as they both closed their eyes and thought   
  
about Sera and Jeff.  
  
"Hey guys, I called Serena's parents and they're on their way   
  
here right now. And Darien was actually on call today so I went and   
  
found him a few minutes ago," said Lita from down the hall as she came   
  
hurrying back to tell everyone. "Me, Ken and the girls are going to go   
  
find Brandon and the others okay?" she said, making sure they didn't   
  
need her to do anything else.  
  
"Yeah, thanks Lita. How long before Darien gets here?" asked   
  
Lena from her position in Nick's arms.  
  
"He'll be here in like a few minutes, he had to finish his rounds   
  
up stairs," answered Lita before her and Ken walked off to catch up   
  
with Mina and the others.  
  
"So who is going to get the wonderful job of filling Mr. Shields   
  
in?" asked Nick, somewhat laughing at the quirk of fate. As soon as   
  
that was said, Darien came rushing around the corner looking for them.  
  
"I heard the news and came as fast as I could. Lita didn't tell   
  
me anything, so who got hurt?" asked Darien worriedly. Inside he hoped   
  
and prayed it wouldn't be Serena or anyone in her family.  
  
"Darien… It's Jeff, he got into a really bad car accident," answered   
  
Lena, not finishing because it was too hard to say.  
  
"Well is he okay?!" cried Darien when Lena stopped suddenly. "I   
  
mean, it's just a bump in the car right?" asked Darien, suddenly very   
  
distraught at hearing the news.  
  
"No Darien, Jeff is comatose at the moment," answered Nick.  
  
"No… This can't be, I was just talking to him today and he sounded   
  
quite capable of driving a car okay!" yelled Darien angrily.  
  
"There was an oil spill on the ramp he was coming off of and the   
  
car lost control and ran into a telephone pole," Drew informed him.  
  
"What about Sera and Brandon? Are they okay?!" asked Darien, all   
  
of a sudden very worried about the two. "Please say they weren't all   
  
in the care together!" he begged, hoping that he was wrong.  
  
"No, they're both safe. Not exactly what I define as perfectly   
  
fine, but that's only because they're both very upset with the news,"   
  
answered Justin straightforwardly.  
  
"Oh thank god…" whispered Darien in relief. "Where are they?" he   
  
asked after looking around.  
  
"Ken, Andrew and the rest of the girls took Brandon away because   
  
he was crying. Most likely because he saw Sera crying too," replied   
  
Drew quietly. "Sera… Well, she's still in the ICU with Jeff. None of   
  
us have the heart to go in and get her out," he added, ashamed.  
  
"I'll go get her, she shouldn't be in there too much right now.   
  
It's mentally unhealthy in her state of mind," said Darien as he walked   
  
off to find Serena.  
  
~ICU~  
  
"I love you Jeff. I promise you I'll never argue with you ever   
  
again if you wake up for me baby, please?" begged Sera as she held   
  
Jeff's hand tightly in her own. "Just wake up and get better for me   
  
and our son, we both need you," she added, crying quietly to herself.   
  
Just then, the door opened and someone walked in and shut the door.   
  
"Please, I just need a few more minutes alone," she whispered, not   
  
bothering to turn around to even look at who it was.  
  
"Serena…" said Darien in response to her request. When she   
  
turned around to look at him, he saw the sad look in her eyes and all   
  
the tears that were streaming down her face. "Oh god Sere, I'm so   
  
sorry," he whispered, rushing over and pulling her close to hold.  
  
"Darien… He'll be okay, I just know it," sobbed Serena as she   
  
wrapped her arms tightly around Darien's waist and cried. She let all   
  
her tears and cries loose as he held her close and comforted her with   
  
soothing promises.  
  
"I know you're hurt Serena, but locking yourself up in here will   
  
do no good for you or Brandon. Jeff won't be happy if he knows you're   
  
acting this way. You have to be strong in order to take care of the   
  
son you and Jeff have together," said Darien when her cries ceased.  
  
"I understand, I have to do this for Jeff…" whispered Sera as she   
  
wiped her tears away and pulled back from Darien's embrace. "Just let   
  
me say good-bye before we go," said Sera, leaning down to place a kiss   
  
on Jeff's lips and touching his face gently. "I love you… I'll be back   
  
to see you again soon, I promise," whispered Sera as she turned and   
  
left Jeff's ICU area.  
  
"Get well soon Jeff, for my sake and your wife's," pleaded Darien   
  
as he took one more glance at Jeff and walked away.  
  
~Hospital Courtyard~  
  
"Cheer up sweetie, mommy will be back soon. No more tears,   
  
you're a big boy now!" cooed Stacy as she rocked Brandon in her arms.  
  
"I hope to god that Sera will be able to pull through this,   
  
because I don't know if we'll be able to bear it if she goes into   
  
depression about Jeff's accident," said Lillian in honesty.  
  
"Yeah you're right. I'd feel awful if she were to be sad all the   
  
time," added Stacy.  
  
"That's what we're here for you guys. Serenity has always and   
  
will always be one of our close friends. We'll help her pull through   
  
this, we're a team and team mates help each other out," said Kaye   
  
quietly from her place on the bench.  
  
"We've all known the princess for as far back as we can remember,   
  
and she's never been the person to lock her friends out of her life   
  
just because something tragic happened," said Raye in a monotone voice.  
  
"That's correct, Serenity leaned on all of us to support her when   
  
her father and twin brother died in battle against the Nega Moon,"   
  
recalled Amy, as she told everyone quietly.  
  
"It doesn't matter how she was back in the Silver Millennium,   
  
what matters is how we'll respond to the way she acts to this   
  
situation," said Lita, implying that Serena has changed lots since   
  
their previous lives.  
  
~Outside ICU~  
  
"Okay everyone, you all can go in and see him now if you'd like.   
  
I'm going to ask Darien to take me home while my parents take Brandon   
  
with them for today," said Sera as she shut the door to Jeff's unit.   
  
"I'm sorry about losing it earlier. Can one of you guys tell Lita that   
  
I'll reschedule Brandon's party for another time?" she asked quietly.  
  
"No problem Sere. I'll let her know as soon as possible,"   
  
answered Justin, giving her a hug afterwards.  
  
"Thanks. Bye guys," replied Sera as Darien placed a hand around   
  
her shoulders and directed her towards the courtyard to find everyone   
  
else. "And thank you Darien, I don't think I would've realized how I   
  
was behaving if you hadn't pointed the important things I should be   
  
focusing on. You truly are the best," whispered Sera as she leaned   
  
into his body as they walked.  
  
"No need to thank me princess. I told you I'd always be here if   
  
you ever needed me," answered Darien in response. Soon they found   
  
themselves entering the courtyard and finding everyone else in the   
  
corner talking amongst them.  
  
"Sere!" cried everyone when they spotted her and Darien across   
  
the yard. They all got up from their places and rushed over to her.  
  
"You okay girl?" asked Mina suddenly.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry if I worried anyone. And thank you so   
  
much for taking care Brandon for me. I'm going home now, so if one of   
  
you guys don't mind. Can someone ask my parents to watch him today for   
  
me, tell them I'll come by to pick him up tomorrow," said Serena,   
  
smiling apologetically at everyone.   
  
"Okay, bye Sere. We'll see you tomorrow okay!" called out Kaye   
  
as she and everyone waved to Darien and Sera. As soon as they were out   
  
of sight, everyone began discussing their plans. Nina and Stacy would   
  
drop Brandon off at Sera's parents' house and then they would all meet   
  
at the penthouse to decide what they would be doing tomorrow to get   
  
Sera's mind off of Jeff for the time being.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sorry minna-chan! ::runs and hides:: I had to stop there… the chapter   
  
was getting too long already. Don't hate me for putting Jeff in a   
  
coma, but I had to… Either way, you might or might not like my ending..   
  
I think the sequel will be a good way to wrap the entire storyline up   
  
thought. Ja Ne for now! 


	17. Seventeen

Konnichiwa minna-chan! Did you all like my last chapter? Well, I'm   
  
sorry if it sucked, I hope this chapter will be satisfactory to you   
  
all. Ja Ne!  
  
No Turning Back~  
  
Tranquility - Serenity's older twin brother - "Trent"  
  
Selenity - Serenity's younger sister - "Selena"  
  
Sol - King of the Sun Kingdom - Solaris' father  
  
Aurora - Queen of the Sun - Solaris' mother  
  
Apollo - King of the Moon  
  
So Jeff is comatose, and everyone is in a stressful situation of   
  
comforting Sera and looking after her and Brandon in Jeff's place.   
  
Even as this all passed by, Jeff was sleeping away in his coma. Of   
  
course, he was not slumbering peacefully, in actuality he was recalling   
  
his Silver Millennium memories and all that had occurred during his   
  
last few days alive in that lifetime.  
  
[Memories Returned In Dreams - Beginning]  
  
~Palace of the Moon: Throne Room~  
  
"Solaris, why did you not tell us that you were returning to the   
  
Sun to soon?" asked King Apollo suddenly. He, Solaris and Tranquility   
  
were discussing strategic methods in battle when Solaris brought up the   
  
Sun, which reminded Apollo of King Sol's letter he previously received.  
  
"How did you find out about this so soon sire?" asked a baffled   
  
Solaris.  
  
"What? Hey, how come you never told me this?!" asked Trent   
  
angrily.  
  
"I'm sorry Trent, I just heard news from father earlier this   
  
morning and I hadn't gotten the chance to tell anyone yet," apologized   
  
Solaris quietly.  
  
"Solaris, what is going on at home exactly? All your father said   
  
was that there were some problems between the delegates," inquired King   
  
Apollo curiously.  
  
"Not exactly sure sir, the letter only said that I was needed   
  
home immediately," answered Solaris, looking out the window with a   
  
distant look in his eyes.  
  
"I see, well why don't we cut this discussion short so you'll   
  
have time to bid everyone farewell and pack for your trip home my boy,"   
  
suggested King Apollo with a smile on his face. He knew very well that   
  
his daughter would want to spend a few hours alone with the young Sun   
  
prince before he departed the Moon.  
  
"Thank you sire. Good day your majesty," said Solaris as he   
  
sprinted out the door and headed towards the gardens where Serenity was   
  
sure to be awaiting him."You know I think he's hiding something   
  
father," whispered Trent towards the kind as soon as Solaris was out of   
  
sight.  
  
"I agree with you as well Tranquility, but that is his business.   
  
Let him be for now, he'll let us know when he's ready son," replied Kin   
  
Apollo as he got up and left the room and Trent alone to ponder his   
  
thoughts.  
  
~Palace Gardens~  
  
"Hey Serena, do you ever wonder how many children you and Solaris   
  
will end up having? Or what you'll end up naming them?" asked Princess   
  
Mina as she brushed and played with Serenity's hair.  
  
"Oh come on Mina, you know I don't think that far ahead. I   
  
swear, all you   
  
Venusians every think about is love and marriage!" laughed Princess   
  
Serenity as she picked up a white rose and smelled it.  
  
"I have to agree with Rena on that one Mina babes, you do tend to   
  
think way too far into the future sometimes!" called out Princess Raye,   
  
while practicing some new fighting techniques Luna had taught them   
  
earlier that day.  
  
"Hey Raye, you got that jump all wrong girl. A little higher and   
  
use more force or it'll never do any damage!" cried Princess Lita as   
  
she caught Raye's foot in the air, stopping her from completing the   
  
jump.  
  
"You girls, quit sparring and come help me recap Serenity's   
  
lessons before the   
  
Queen arrives," asked Princess Amy from her place over by Serenity.  
  
"Amy you're always worrying about our lessons. Why don't you   
  
loosen up princess, before you scare away all our suitors with   
  
studying!" cried Mina as she tossed a broken rose stem at Amy and   
  
giggled. With that said, all the princesses broke out into an   
  
uncontrollable laughter.  
  
"Well, well, well. What have we here? Enjoying yourselves a   
  
little too much ladies?" asked Prince Solaris as he walked into the   
  
gardens and found the princesses giggling over some unknown reason.  
  
"Hello Solaris, how was the talk with his highness?" greeted Amy,   
  
inquiring about his little chat with Serenity's father and twin   
  
brother.  
  
"Oh yes, you must tell me all about it love!" replied Serenity   
  
eagerly.  
  
"It can wait love. Right now, I just want to spend some time   
  
relaxing with all my friends. And perhaps later we can have our own   
  
PRIVATE time together," said Solaris, emphasizing on the privacy part   
  
to all the other princesses.  
  
"Yes sir! Sunshine sir!" shouted Lita, breaking into a hysterical   
  
laugh afterwards.  
  
"Oh that is so not funny Lita! You know Sol hates it when we   
  
tease him with that name!" giggled Serenity in defense for her fiancé.  
  
"Gee, if I didn't know any better, I'd have to say my own fiancé   
  
is cooperating with the culprits against me!" joked Solaris in response   
  
to Serenity's remark.  
  
"Oh I'm sorry Solaris, you know I would never team up with   
  
anybody to defy you my love," replied Serenity, immediately rushing   
  
over to him and placing a kiss on his lips. Solaris smiled and pulled   
  
Serenity into his laps and wrapped his arms around her, placing a kiss   
  
on her head as he did so.  
  
"Oh please! Wait until you are married for heaven's sake! Even   
  
I, the goddess of love cannot bear seeing this mushy stuff!" cried   
  
Mina, feigning a look of disgust.  
  
"Say what you please, but in a few months, Sol and I shall be   
  
married!" replied Serenity, sticking her tongue out at the girls who   
  
only laughed in response.  
  
"Princess Serenity! That is no way to address the future king of   
  
the Sun!" gasped Amy, pretending to sound like their guardian Luna.  
  
"Oh my god! Amy that sounded so much like her too!" laughed   
  
Raye, falling from the bench she was seated upon.  
  
"Yes, and I'm sure you'd like to be awarded Princess?" inquired a   
  
stern voice, interrupting the cheerful atmosphere.  
  
"Whoa Ames, was that you again? Wow girl, that sounds almost too   
  
real... And too scary at the same time!" said Lita suddenly, coming   
  
closer to Amy, who had a shocked expression on her face.  
  
"What do you mean Lita, that was not I!" answered Amy in   
  
confusion. Just then, everyone shut up and started looking around at   
  
one another.  
  
"Yes, that was I ladies," replied the voice once again.  
  
"Oh my god, we are so in for it!" cried Raye quietly as they all   
  
began slowly turning around to find Luna standing there looking very   
  
furious with them all.  
  
"Princesses! If you'll please follow me back to your quarters   
  
right this moment please!" shouted Luna in a strictly commanding tone.  
  
"Luna, Serenity and I would like to be excused form this please.   
  
We have other matters to attend to," called out Solaris in response to   
  
Luna's demand.  
  
"Yes, Prince Solaris..." answered Luna after hearing his serious   
  
tonal usage. "If you both will excuse us, we'll be on our way now,"   
  
said Luna as she signaled for all the other princesses to leave.  
  
"Thank you Luna," replied Solaris, waving to Luna and the girls   
  
as they disappeared from sight. Serenity turned around from her   
  
position in his lap and gave him a curious look.  
  
"What's going on Solaris?" asked Serenity, worriedly.  
  
"Nothing at all my love. I just have to return home for a few   
  
weeks to help mother and father with some last minute problems that's   
  
all," answered Sol solemnly.  
  
"When will you be leaving love?" she asked, not wanting him to   
  
leave her.  
  
"Tomorrow morning, possibly before you even awaken princess," he   
  
answered quietly. "That's why I wanted to spend the night with you   
  
alone my love. So we could spend a few moments in peace to enjoy being   
  
with one another," he admitted.  
  
"Why do you make it sound as if you'll never come back to me   
  
again Solaris? I'm starting to wonder. What are you hiding from me?"   
  
she asked demandingly as she pulled away from his embrace.  
  
"To be honest, I don't know what's going on princess. All I know   
  
is that some conflicts have arisen between the delegates back home and   
  
my father. If I don't return home to resolve all the issues then we   
  
might end up having a revolt in our kingdom," he explained to her   
  
slowly.  
  
"You see honey, this is why mother and father refuse to start the   
  
whole delegation ordeal here on the moon! They don't want us ending up   
  
with this problem in the future," cried Serenity, upset with the news.  
  
"On the moon? My love, we'll be ruling both the Sun and the Moon   
  
together, so we'll have to compromise on the same delegations on both   
  
kingdoms," said Solaris, taken back with Serenity's outburst.  
  
"No honey, we're not changing the way the Silver Alliance is run.   
  
Mother put this alliance together, and I want to honor her by keeping   
  
the system in tact," answered Serenity, beginning to sound more   
  
serious.  
  
"Wait, why are we even discussing this right now? I'm leaving in   
  
a few hours, so can we please forget this happened to talk about it   
  
later? I want to cherish these last few hours with you my love,"   
  
pleaded Solaris, taking Serenity into his arms and pulling her close to   
  
him and holding her tightly.  
  
"I suppose so, if we must..." whispered Serenity as she leaned   
  
back into his arms and closed her eyes, trying to forget the uneasy   
  
feeling she had. For the remainder of the time, Solaris and Serenity   
  
sat in the gardens and talked about their wedding plans and discussed   
  
ideas for their honeymoon as well.  
  
~Palace Dining Hall~  
  
"So, Apollo has just informed me that you are leaving at noon   
  
tomorrow morning Solaris. Why so soon my child?" asked Queen Serenity   
  
after taking a sip of her champagne.  
  
"If you must know your majesty. Mother and father has requested   
  
my return to help with a few things at home," answered Solaris.  
  
"Serenity, were you aware of this sweetheart?" asked the Queen   
  
curiously.  
  
"Actually mother, I just found out today. I think everyone else   
  
did as well. That's why I've been meaning to ask you this all day   
  
mother. Would you mind if I went with Solaris to the Sun to help him?"   
  
asked Princess Serenity, smiling as her hands wrapped around Solaris'   
  
under the table.  
  
"I'm not sure if that's a good idea or not princess. You might   
  
be in the way or something can go wrong," replied King Apollo   
  
immediately after he heard his daughter's question.  
  
"But father, I don't want to be here alone. Please let me go   
  
with Solaris, I promise I'll stay out of the King and Queen's way.   
  
Please?" begged Serenity sincerely.  
  
"If you don't mind our interrupting, but we'd be glad to   
  
accompany the princess to the Sun if that would ease your mind a little   
  
your highness," suggested Princess Raye suddenly.  
  
"I suppose I can allow you to go this one time. Since the scouts   
  
have volunteered to look after you," answered Queen Serenity after   
  
pausing to think over the proposal for a while.  
  
"Great, now that it's all settled, why don't we go back to   
  
enjoying our dinner?" piped up Prince Tranquility.  
  
"Trent, you always know how to bring the life back to dinners   
  
when they seem to flow off course don't you my son?" laughed King   
  
Apollo as everyone toasted and finished their dinners. Afterwards, the   
  
princes and princesses bid the court good night and went to pack their   
  
belongings.  
  
~Next Morning~  
  
"Sol, are you awake yet love?" called out Serenity from Solaris'   
  
bedroom door. She knocked a few times and finally decided to go in   
  
since he wasn't answering her. "Sol? Darling, where are you?" asked   
  
Serenity as she looked around his quarters carefully. Turning to his   
  
bed, she found a letter placed on his pillow underneath a single red   
  
rose. "I wonder what he's up to," she said, opening the letter. It   
  
read:  
  
Serenity,  
  
I've decided to head back home a little earlier than we all   
  
planned. And no, don't think I left early because I didn't want you to   
  
come along. I'll see you at the palace when you and everyone else   
  
leave for the Sun. Please tell your parents I bid them farewell.  
  
Love,  
  
Solaris  
  
"Hmm... I guess I can forgive him this one time. Must be really   
  
anxious to see what's up or something," said Serena, shrugging and   
  
leaving his quarters to look for the others. Once she met up with   
  
everyone outside, they headed over to the teleportation portals with   
  
their luggage in tow.  
  
"Well, I guess we should leave now so we can get there before it   
  
gets late. Farewell for now your highnesses," said Princess Mina,   
  
smiling as she curtsied and entered the portal and disappeared. One by   
  
one, the other princesses followed suit.  
  
"Good bye mother. We'll see you both in a few weeks. Good bye   
  
father," said Prince Tranquility as he gave the King and Queen hugs and   
  
grabbed his bad as well as Serenity's before waiting for her at the   
  
portal entrance.  
  
"Bye mother. Take care of her for us okay father? We'll be home   
  
soon, don't worry okay? Bye now!" said Serenity as she hugged bother   
  
her parents and kissed them on the cheek before walking over to   
  
Tranquility.  
  
"Serena... You and Trent better be on your utmost behavior for   
  
Aurora and Sol!" warned King Apollo as he and Queen Serenity waved   
  
goodbye to their two eldest children. Once everyone was clear of the   
  
portal, they headed back to the palace. "Thank god Selenity is too   
  
young to be courting, I'm glad we can keep one of our lovely children   
  
at our sides at all times," laughed King Apollo, wrapping his arms   
  
around the queen as they entered the palace.  
  
~Sun Kingdom~  
  
"Prince Solaris, Princess Serenity and Prince Tranquility as well   
  
as the other royals have arrived," informed a guard as Solaris walked   
  
into his room.  
  
"Thank you, can you please call the other Imperial Knights and   
  
ask them to come see me as soon as they can?" requested Prince Solaris   
  
in a serious tone. Once the guard left, Solaris quickly headed over to   
  
the throne room in search of everyone else. Just as he entered, he   
  
overheard his parents welcoming Serenity and the others back to the   
  
Sun.  
  
"Oh there you are Solaris dear, Serenity and her friends arrive   
  
half an hour ago. Where have you been sweetheart?" asked Queen Aurora,   
  
smiling at him.  
  
"I was taking care of a few loose ends mother. Sorry for my   
  
delay," answered Solaris as he walked over and hugged Serenity. "Sorry   
  
I left you this morning, I had to hurry home on a last minute's   
  
notice," he whispered to her quietly with a smile.  
  
"It's okay, I understand. We'll talk later okay?" answered   
  
Serenity, whispering so that no one would hear. "Well, if you'll   
  
excuse us your highness. I believe Tranquility and the other as well   
  
as I have to settle into our quarters before we can be of any further   
  
help," said Serenity as she and everyone else left the throne room with   
  
Solaris.  
  
"Dear are you sure letting the princess and her guardians stay   
  
here is a good idea? I mean, isn't it unsafe for them?" asked Queen   
  
Aurora curiously.  
  
"I know darling, but Serenity wanted to come back with Solaris   
  
and I can't stop her. We'll just have to let them stay for a week so   
  
nobody suspects anything," answered King Sol.  
  
"I just hope nothing happens to any of them," thought Aurora to   
  
herself.  
  
~Elsewhere~  
  
"Can we come in princess?" called out Lita from the door after   
  
knocking slightly. The door was left ajar so the girls decided to head   
  
in and look for Serenity since she hadn't heard them.  
  
"I wonder where she went?" wondered Raye as she peered around the   
  
corner into the Serenity's bathing room.  
  
"She's nowhere to be found girls, maybe we should head out and   
  
look for her. I don't have a good feeling about this, it's not like   
  
her to leave without letting us know before hand," said Mina in a   
  
serious tone as they all ran out Serenity's room in search for the   
  
missing princess.  
  
~Garden~  
  
"Solaris, do you think your parents were acting a little awkward   
  
when the girls and I showed up?" inquired Serenity as she leaned back   
  
into Solaris' embrace. He tightened his arms around her and kissed the   
  
top of her head.  
  
"I'm not sure what was with my parents, but I'll be sure to find   
  
out before the night ends princess," answered Solaris in a quiet voice.  
  
"Hmm, I hope the girls aren't worried sick over me. I just   
  
remembered that I forgot to let them know I'd be spending the rest of   
  
the evening with you," said Serenity as she tilted her head to the side   
  
thinking.  
  
"You know what love? You look very cute when you do that, it   
  
just brings a smile to my face every time I see that," admitted Solaris   
  
with a chuckle. "I'm sure the girls are out looking for you as we   
  
speak, lets go find them so they won't have to worry," he suggested,   
  
getting up and helping Serenity up as well. Just as they were about to   
  
turn and exit the garden they saw bright flashes in the far distance   
  
and voices shouting loudly.  
  
"Solaris, what's going on?" asked Serenity worriedly as Solaris   
  
tightened his hold on her and started pulling her towards the palace   
  
hurriedly. "Slow down, I can't run that fast love!" she cried as she   
  
tried in vain to keep up with Solaris.  
  
"I'm sorry love, but I fear we may be under attack. We must   
  
hurry back to the palace and get you and the girls off the Sun as   
  
quickly as possible," answered Solaris hastily. Just as they reached   
  
the palace, the other princesses ran up to them and started ranting   
  
their worries. "Please take Serenity and get yourselves back to the   
  
Moon," ordered Solaris solemnly.  
  
"What's going on Solaris?" asked Amy worriedly.  
  
"The Sun may be under attack, you must all leave now!" answered   
  
Solaris.  
  
"No, I will not leave you Solaris!" cried Serenity angrily. "How   
  
can you tell me to leave knowing you might get hurt?!" she asked   
  
furiously.  
  
"Love please, I don't want to see any harm come to you. I   
  
promise you I'll come back for you, just go back home and let your   
  
mother know for me!" pleaded Solaris as he pulled Serenity up to him   
  
and kissed her on the forehead.  
  
"Just please be careful love," whispered Serenity as she lifted   
  
her head up and met his lips in a kiss. "I love you," she said quietly   
  
to him.  
  
"I know princess. I love you too," replied Solaris as he hugged   
  
her tightly before the girls took Serenity and left. "May the sun   
  
allow your safe departure my love," he whispered as he saw them   
  
disappear into the portals.  
  
"Solaris! Hurry and suit up for battle son!" called out King Sol   
  
as he came rushing over to Solaris with Queen Aurora following shortly   
  
behind him.  
  
"Has the princess and her court departed yet my child?" asked   
  
Aurora impatiently. Solaris nodded in response and the all headed back   
  
to the palace.  
  
"Darling, I want you to leave and go stay with Serenity on the   
  
moon. Please don't argue with me love, it's for your own safety," Kong   
  
Sol told Queen Aurora once they arrived in the palace. "The guards   
  
will escort you to the portals and make sure you get off the sun   
  
safely," he told her as he kissed her gently on the lips and embraced   
  
her before pushing her towards the guards.  
  
"Please make sure you and Solaris live through this love, you're   
  
all the family I have left!" cried Queen Aurora from down the hallway.  
  
"Let's make sure we don't disappoint your mother son, not let's   
  
go," said King Sol as he and Prince Solaris raced off into battle with   
  
the Sun army behind their lead. In Solaris' mind, he knew they were up   
  
against Beryl and the forces that were behind her and for that reason   
  
Solaris knew he and his father might not come out of battle alive. For   
  
six long months, Solaris and his father led their army in battle   
  
against Beryl until one unfortunate day…  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Uh-oh, what's going to happen next? Sorry for the suspense filled   
  
cliffhanger! I also apologize that it's been quite a few weeks since   
  
my last chapter; I was out of town on business. Anyway, I'm almost   
  
finished with this story! Ja Ne! 


	18. Eighteen

Konnichiwa minna-chan! I'm so excited to be wrapping this story up

soon. Just two more chapters and I'll be done! Then I get to start on

my notorious sequel! ::giggles:: Enjoy the last few chapters!

No Turning Back~

[Continue of Dream Sequence]

~Sun~

"Father, when do you think all this fighting will end? I'm so

tired of having to worry when they'll strike next. Not to mention

we've been cut off from the outside world. I'm so worried that

Serenity and mother have gotten hurt," said Solaris tiredly as he took

a seat beside his father.

"I don't know Solaris, I just hope Beryl and her forces realize

that defeating us will result in a horrible attack from the Alliance,"

said King Sol, looking rather exhausted from getting little rest and

battling long hours.

"I still don't understand why they attacked," wondered Solaris as

he looked at his father in curiosity.

"Son, your mother and I didn't want to tell you this but I guess

it's better now than never," said King Sol in a serious voice. "A few

years back, Lady Beryl's father implied that a marriage between his

family and ours would strengthen our power over the delegates since

both the families hold massive power. I considered the proposal but

when you fell in love with Serenity, I explained that you had no

intentions with Beryl and from then on I guess that is where she became

evil with outrage," King Sol told his son quietly. "I'm sorry we never

told you sooner, I never thought things would go this far," he added.

"I don't understand why she's fighting us if she wanted to marry

into our family father," said Solaris, confused.

"She wants to destroy the Sun so that Queen Serenity will decide

to terminate the engagement of you and Serenity for her kingdom's

safety," replied King Sol.

"Oh God, I can't believe this is actually happening! Why did you

not tell me until now father?! Serenity and mother can both be very

well in harm because of Beryl!" cried Solaris, outraged after hearing

the story behind their war.

"I'm so sorry your mother and I kept this from you, but we had no

idea until the battles started occurring," answered King Sol.

"I apologize for taking such a tone with you father, I'm just so

worried for mother and Serenity that I reacted without thinking," said

Solaris, sweeping his hands through his hair. "God, I wish there were

a way to end this all," he whispered.

"Oh but there is my prince," whispered a woman's voice from

behind the two men. Out of the dark shadows stepped Sailor Pluto. "My

apologies for interrupting your highness," greeted the princess of

Pluto.

"Trina, it's good to see you again princess," smiled King Sol as

he enveloped her in a warm embrace.

"Good to see the two of you as well," replied Pluto with a slight

smile. "My appearance is due to business thought your highnesses," she

told them.

"How fares my mother and the princess Trina?" inquired Solaris.

"They are both doing fine, the princess wishes me to tell you

that she misses you terribly," informed Pluto. "Now onto the main

reason why I am here," she began after hearing Solaris sigh in relief.

"I'm here to propose that you Prince Solaris of the Sun leave this

timeline to keep the princess safe from Beryl's grasp," stated Pluto

quietly.

"What do you mean leave this timeline? Where will I go then?"

asked Solaris a little confused at Pluto's proposal.

"I'll send you to another time to start over. The Imperial

Knights will be sent there with you as well. Queen Serenity suggested

I help out in any way I can to keep Princess Serenity safe, and I saw

this as the only way out. There is one negative point to this proposal

though, everyone will be informed that you are deceased in order for

this war to come to an end," explained Pluto, hoping he'd understand

why she was putting him in this position.

"I understand Trina, I accept your proposal. Anything to keep my

love safe and put and end to this nonsense of a war," answered Solaris

immediately after hearing Pluto explain everything to him. "I have one

last wish though, tell Serenity that I'll always be with her,"

requested Solaris solemnly.

"Are you sure you want to do this Solaris?" asked King Sol, sad

that his son had to sacrifice his happiness for his kingdom.

"Yes, I'll find another way back to her. I just know I will,"

whispered Solaris just before Pluto tapped her Key Staff and teleported

him away.

"Good bye my son, may the Sun allow you a safe journey and look

after you," whispered King Sol as Solaris disappeared.

"Now King Sol, you understand I must erase this memory from your

mind. You as well as everyone in this universe will think that the

prince has died at battle. I'm sorry," informed Pluto as she saw King

Sol nod in response just before she placed a spell over him and

vanished from sight. As soon as Pluto's figure disappeared a soldier

came running into the King's tent.

"Your highness! Prince Solaris has been struck down just now!"

he informed the king after kneeling down before King Sol.

"How is my son doing?!" asked the king in outrage.

"I'm sorry to say this sire, but the prince did not make it out

of this one," said the soldier in a quieter voice.

"No! My only son! Beryl you'll pay for this!" screamed King Sol

in a crazed tone. Word quickly spread all over the universe of the

prince's death and every planet in the Alliance sent in backup for the

Sun. King Apollo and Prince Tranquility even headed over to the Sun to

help battle alongside King Sol after hearing of Solaris' death.

~Moon~

"No! Oh God, Solaris! You promised you'd come back for me, how

could you not keep your promise to me!" cried Princess Serenity loudly

as tears racked her body endlessly. For days the princess cried over

her love's death, until her twin brother and father left to help aid

the Sun in battle.

"Princess, your mother wishes to speak with you immediately,"

informed a maiden, bowing her head before leaving the princess in

peace. Serenity walked dazedly over to her mother's quarters and

entered to find her mother in tears.

"Mother what's wrong?" asked Princess Serenity as she ran to her

mother's side.

"It's your father and brother Serenity, I've just received word

that King Sol along with the both of them have just been killed," cried

Queen Serenity as she dropped the letter and started crying even more.

"NO! This can't be happening! First Solaris, now father and

Trent as well, I can't take this anymore!" cried Serenity as she raced

out of her mother's room towards the portals. Once she arrived at the

portals several guards stepped in front of her and blocked her path.

"We're sorry princess, but all access to the portals have been

shut off," informed the commander of the Silver Troops. "It's out of

my authority to allow you access, only the Queen may permit your

departure of the moon," he added hoping the princess wouldn't give him

a hard time.

"I understand," answered Princess Serenity a she turned and left.

"Please have the Sun Guardians retrieve my father and brother's body

for burial," she requested before walking off towards the lake. "So

much has happened since we last saw love, I've lost you to this

ridiculous war as well as my beloved father and brother. I'm so lost

without you Solaris, my world is being turned upside down as every

minute passes me by," whispered Serenity as she leaned against a tree

and wept.

In a period of two months the Kings and Princes of both the Sun

and Moon have perished along with several hundred thousand soldiers.

King Apollo and Sol forced back Beryl and her forces after they were

both killed in battle. Prince Tranquility was killed trying to avenge

their death. Funerals were held just as the war came to and end.

Queen Aurora returned to the Sun and tried to save what she could of

her kingdom with Princess Selenity to help her. Queen Serenity allowed

Aurora to adopt Selena as her daughter to help her rule over the Sun.

So the two remaining heirs of the moon were split up, Selena crowned

the new princess of the Sun and Serena crowned next ruler of the Moon.

Both and Sun and Moon Kingdom rebuilt their kingdoms into a stronger

force and a year later everything seemed to die down and forgotten.

Princess Serenity slowly returned to her normal being and tried to move

on with her life to stay strong for her mother's sake.

[Dream Sequence Ends]

~Hospital~

"Dr. Bowen we need your help immediately! I'm getting strange

readings from Mr. Timmons' heart monitor!" called out a nurse as she

caught up to Dr. Bowen. The both raced back to Jeff's room and tried

to figure out why his heart was beating abnormally all of a sudden.

"Brain waves are slowly returning to normal state sir, and his heart

rate seems to have stabilized itself. I don't understand what's going

on here sir," informed the nurse.

"He's reacting to a dream he must be having. That's great news!

That means he actually has some sort of brain activity!" cried Dr.

Bowen happily. "Have Mrs. Timmons notified immediately please!" he

requested after going back to double check everything.

"Right away Dr. Bowen!" answered the nurse, hurrying off to make

the call.

"Welcome back Jeffrey, it's been two months since we've had any

unusually activity come from you. Your wife will be thrilled to hear

the news," whispered Dr.

Bowen to Jeff quietly, hoping he'd hear him even though he was still

comatose.

~Penthouse~

"Here Brandon! Come to Auntie Nina baby!" cooed Nina, smiling as

Brandon raced over to her in his walker.

"Nina quit calling out to him, you'll tire the poor thing out!"

laughed Stacy as she walked over and picked Brandon up from the walker.

"Here you go sweetie," she cooed, giving him a rattle to play with.

"Oh Stacy, you party pooper! I just want to get him used to

walking! I can't wait until he takes his first steps!" replied Nina

gleefully.

"Yeah, me neither! It's going to be fantastic when his mom and

dad see him take his first steps!" piped in Lillian.

"Oh Lillian, let's not get everyone's hopes up. We're all

praying for the day Jeffrey wakes up to see Sera and Brandon again,"

said Kaye sadly.

"Hey everyone! Why all the sad faces?" greeted Sera as she

entered the penthouse smiling. "There's my favorite guy!" laughed Sera

as Brandon threw his rattle down and reached out for her, laughing

loudly.

"Hey Sera, how was work?" inquired Nina curious, trying to change

the subject.

"Great, I got to leave early because Dr. Bowen called me and

asked me to come in. Hope it's good news! Me and Brandon are going to

go to the hospital, page if you need anything okay girls?" answered

Sera, grabbing Brandon's baby bag and racing out of the door before

waving good bye.

"She's so excited, it's been the same routine for the past month

now. Poor Sera, I just hope she has something to be glad about this

time. She been working so hard ever since Jeff's accident, I wonder if

she even sleeps in between visiting him, working and coming home to

take care of Brandon every night," said Kaye, sighing sadly.

~Hospital~

"Dr. Bowen! Hi!" called out Sera as she entered Jeff's room,

smiling radiantly.

"Hello Sera! How are you and Brandon today?" Dr. Bowen greeted.

"Great, and yourself?" Sera asked courteously.

"Thrilled to be telling you that we had some normal brain

activity today. From my experience, I expect him to come out of it

within the next few days," informed Dr.

Bowen, glad to be telling Sera something good for once.

"Oh My God! That's great news, thank you so much!" cried Sera as

she squeezed Brandon tightly in her arms. "Did you hear that sweetie?

Daddy is going to be waking up soon!" she told Brandon excitedly. Dr.

Bowen smiled and walked out to give her some privacy with Jeff. "Oh

Thank God. I've missed you so baby," she whispered as she held his

hand tightly. She placed Brandon down on Jeff's bed and he crawled up

and sat on laid on his father's chest and listened to his heart beating

and smiled before closing his eyes and falling asleep.

"Aw, that's such a cute image right there!" cried Lena as she ran

over and hugged

Sera happily. "Oh how I wish I had my camera right now!" she pouted.

"Don't worry, I have one right here. I knew something big was

going to take place today. Hi Sera," smiled Nick as he pulled out his

camera and snapped a few pictures of Brandon sleeping on Jeff's chest.

"How did you guys know I was here?" asked Sera with a smile.

"Dr. Bowen told Amy and she called to let us know," answered

Drew, stepping into the room with some fresh roses for Jeff's room.

"I'm glad you all could make it, sorry I didn't call anyone. I

was just so speechless, I just sat here and watched the two of them

sleep," laughed Sera.

"It's ok, we understand. I've got to admit, that's quite a scene

to walk in on!" chuckled Justin as he sat down on the couch across from

Sera.

"Wow, how come I wasn't invited to the party?" laughed Darien as

he too entered Jeff's room, surprising everyone at his entrance.

"So you heard too Darien? Thanks for coming, means so much to

us," replied Sera, smiling slightly as she got up and hugged him.

"No problem, I've been dying to stop by to check up on him all

day anyway," answered Darien as he held Sera tightly.

"Well, now that everyone is here, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to

let you all know that Dr. Bowen says that Jeff might wake up within the

next two days," smiled Sera happily as she told everyone. Everyone in

the room cheered loudly and started hugging Sera, relieved that their

crisis would soon be over and everyone would be reunited.

"Uh oh, we just woke Brandon up guys," informed Lena as she saw

Brandon move slightly and out of nowhere started crying loudly. Sera

raced over and picked him up immediately trying to comfort him.

"Selenity, you were always the one to see things before hand,"

whispered a voice suddenly. Everyone stopped moving and turned around

to see Jeff's eyes staring back at them with a smile on his face. "Hey

everyone," smiled Jeff as everyone's mouth gaped in shock. "Wow, what

a nice welcome back," he said sarcastically.

"Jeff! Oh My God! We've missed you terribly baby!" cried Sera,

first to snap out of shock and race to his side.

"Jeff? Who is this Jeff Serenity?" asked Solaris, confused as to

why she addressed him by such a name. "Have you forgotten who I am

love? It's me, Solaris," he whispered, smiling as he held her hand.

"Yes I know it's you Solaris, but in this life you are named

Jeffrey remember?" asked Sera, suddenly very upset at his behavior.

"What do you mean this life? I've always been called Solaris

darling, what sort of game are you trying to play with me princess?"

questioned Solaris curiously.

"No. Have you forgotten I'm Sera? What about Brandon?" asked

Sera in a worried tone as tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

"Whose child is this?" asked Solaris suddenly.

"Our child, damn it! Why are you acting so strange honey?" cried

Sera furiously. "We've been married for almost two years now and our son

is already one! What do you mean whose child is this?!"

screamed Sera in an outraged voice.

"Serenity, we haven't married yet love. Remember? I went to war

and supposedly died? Well, I never died darling. Pluto placed me in

another time stream. I'm back now, please don't be so angry with me

princess," pleaded Solaris.

"No Solaris, we've all been reborn. Take a look around, this

isn't the Silver Millennium anymore. We're all on Earth living new

lives. Quit playing games with me already!" yelled Sera angrily.

"Calm down Serena, maybe he's just a little out of it. Let me

take a look and see what's wrong," said Darien as he stepped in between

the two and told Solaris to lay down so he could take a look at him.

"Someone go call Dr. Bowen for me please, I need to ask him a few

questions," asked Darien as he sat down and looked at Jeff's records.

"What's going on Darien? Why is my husband acting like he

doesn't know his own child?!" asked Sera, sobbing quietly as she gave

Brandon to Lena to hold.

"Solaris, why don't you talk with everyone else, Serenity and I

will step outside for a quick chat," informed Darien as he left with

Sera.

"Who was that man?" asked Solaris looking at Prince Nicholas

(Nick) in confusion. "And whose baby is Selenity holding?" he added

even more lost.

"Solaris, do you honestly not remember anything? You don't

remember being Jeffrey Brandon Timmons or having a son with Sera Jacobs

named Brandon?" asked Nick curiously.

"What are you talking about Nicholas? I never married anyone by

that name, Serenity and I are engaged to be married remember?" answered

Solaris, looking at Nicholas as if he had lost his mind.

"I'm not Nicholas anymore," answered Nick.

"Yes you are silly. You're Nicholas of the Star Kingdom, and

that is André of the Orion Kingdom, and he is Justice of Nebulae,"

replied Solaris furiously. "Don't tell me I don't know my own friends,

the same ones I fought along side with as an Imperial Knight!" he

yelled angrily.

"No Solaris, we're not in the Silver Millennium anymore. I'm

Nick, André is Drew and Justice is Justin now, we still are the

Imperial Knights but we have other lives as well Jeff," replied Nick

quietly in a serious voice.

"I'm so confused, what am I doing here then?" asked Solaris,

feeling very out of place with all the information the guys were

telling him. Outside, Sera was speaking to Dr. Bowen and Darien about

Jeff's present state.

"The most likely reason would be the abnormal brain activity we

received earlier this morning. He must have been dreaming of something

and woken up to it, hopefully he'll return to his normal state of mind

soon. I'm sorry Sera," apologized Dr. Bowen sadly. He was so sure

that it was the end of their problems, but it seems that Jeff has

amnesia is he wasn't sure if it would be permanent or not yet.

"It'll pass over Sera, Dr. Bowen and I will figure something out.

It's probably just a lapse of time that's all, don't worry over it

okay," comforted Darien, hoping she'd believe him enough to get it out

of her mind.

"Okay, I'm going to go back in to talk to him then. I hope

you'll allow him to be released tonight to go home with his family

where he belongs Dr. Bowen," said Sera as she stepped back into Jeff's

room.

"Darien, he has amnesia, and I don't even know how this is all

even possible," whispered Dr. Bowen quietly. "I hope this doesn't

break Sera's heart, she's been through so much already," he added with

a sigh.

"I know what you mean," Darien responded, sighing as Dr. Bowen

patted him on the shoulder before walking off to finish his rounds. "I

hope I can do something to change this or Serena will be so hurt that

Jeff doesn't remember their marriage or their child," thought Darien as

he walked back into the room.

"Serenity please do not frustrate me with all this nonsense. I

know who I am and I will not sit here and listen to you tell me about

this child of ours! It's ridiculous, I told you we never married! So

how can this boy be mines?!" yelled Solaris in outrage, making Brandon

cry at his dad's behavior towards him.

"I can't believe you would say such a thing. If you're not his

damn father than why the hell does he look like you! Who else could be

his father if not you?!" cried Sera before running out of the room with

Brandon in her arms.

"Serenity wait! Oh damn it, I don't know what's going on

anymore!" shouted Solaris, clutching his head in pain.

"Prince Solaris, may I introduce myself to you. I'm Prince

Endymion of Earth, formerly that is. Now I'm known as Darien Shields,"

replied Darien suddenly.

"You! I remember you! Serenity became engaged with you shortly

after she thought I died!" called out Solaris from his bed infuriated

with the man before him.

"How can you blame me for loving Serenity after she and the whole

universe thought you to be dead? Serenity was grief stricken for a

whole year before I met her, and still she would not forget you even

after we became engaged! It took her so long to get over you and learn

to love me, you think I liked having to be put behind a dead man?!"

yelled Darien angrily. "It doesn't matter anyway, I made the mistake

of losing her to you. And now you forget all you had in these last few

years, do you know how hurt she is because of this? You've put her

throw so much, now you don't recall a damned thing!" shouted Darien

before walking out of the room.

"He loves Serenity a lot doesn't he?" asked Solaris quietly,

sitting there thinking of his previous behavior. Everyone nodded and

left him alone to think about everything.

~The Next Day~

"Don't worry baby, daddy will remember you. I know he will,"

comforted Sera as she held Brandon tightly in her arms and headed

towards Jeff's room. She knocked once before entering, only to find

his bed empty and things packed. "Nurse!" yelled Sera before racing

out of the room to look for him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Oops! Cliffhanger again? Sorry, you'll thank me later thought. Or

maybe not! ::laughs and runs away form angry crowd:::


	19. Nineteen

~A.N.~

Konnichiwa minna! Gomen ne. I did not mean to put off this fic intentionally, but it looks like I have to re-write an entirely new ending to this story. I never got around to it because I was hoping the new admin of ASMR would still have my story, but alas, it is gone forever. Not that I don't mind re-doing the ending since my first one wasn't all that great. So here it is, after 5 years, closure to No Turning Back. Hope it meets to your approval. R & R please, thanks!~

– Last Time –

"He loves Serenity a lot doesn't he?" asked Solaris quietly, sitting there thinking of his previous behavior. Everyone nodded and left him alone to think about everything.

~The Next Day~

"Don't worry baby, daddy will remember you. I know he will," comforted Sera as she held Brandon tightly in her arms and headed towards Jeff's room. She knocked once before entering, only to find his bed empty and things packed. "Nurse!" yelled Sera before racing out of the room to look for him.

– This Time –

I walked to the nearest nurses' station as quickly as I could while holding onto Brandon tightly. I'm still amazed that I managed to make it there without dropping my own son considering how panic stricken I was at the moment.

"I need to know what happened to the patient in room 302 and why his room has been cleared out," I asked while coming to a quick halt right in front of the counter and frightening the nurse sitting behind the station.

"Uhm," stuttered the nurse, looking a bit lost for a moment before she finally realized whom I was and started pulling up Jeff's file. "I'm sorry Mrs. Timmons, but it says here that your husband requested to be transferred to John Hopkins in the states earlier this morning, informed the nurse in a quiet tone, looking somewhat afraid to be the bearer of bad news.

"What?" I asked, both in confusion and shock. "How is that even possible? He just woke up yesterday from his coma and is hardly in the right state of mind to be making such decisions on his own," I stated, setting Brandon on the counter and pulling the file out of her hands quickly.

"It says there that Dr. Bowen signed off on the request and that a family member arrived this morning to pick Mr. Timmons up for his discharge," the nurse pointed out as I skimmed through the notes jotted down throughout the chart.

"Hang on. Dr. Bowen signed off on this? Why wasn't I notified prior to any of it ever taking place?" asked Sera in disbelief. This couldn't be happening to her, she closed her eyes and prayed that this was some sort of sick nightmare and that she'd open her eyes any moment now and find Jeff still in his room.

"Everything okay over here Cindy?" asked Darien as he came walking up to the station suddenly. He had been walking his rounds when he heard what sounded like an irate patient and decided to stop by and check on the situation in case it required a doctor's explanation. Instead, what he found was a distraught Serena and very confused nurse.

"Yes Dr. Shields, I was just informing Mrs. Timmons of her husband's whereabouts," explained Cindy, trying to appease everyone. She just started her shift half an hour ago, so she was just as lost as everyone else was, but was trying her best to find answers.

"What do you mean his whereabouts? He's in room 302," asked Darien, now confused as well.

"No, he's not, they transferred him back to the states this morning," answered Sera in a defeated tone. "He left me, he asked them to move him without telling me before hand," she said, voice trembling as tears started welling up in her eyes. She was tired, sick and tired of always being hurt and having to pretend like she was strong enough to handle it all when she wasn't. She brushed Brandon's hair aside and kissed the top of his head before holding him tightly.

"Page Dr. Bowen, I need to talk to him now," ordered Darien, picking Brandon up off the counter and wrapping an arm around Serena as he walked her over to a chair. "Don't worry Serena, I'll figure out what happened and we'll fix this," he said, rubbing her back soothingly as he tried to comfort her.

"I need to call Lena," whispered Sera, sniffling as the tears began to make their way down her face. She pulled out her phone and pressed down on the speed dial button while wiping her tears away and taking a deep breath.

– Phone Conversation – Sera's POV-

"Hey sis!" Lena answered in her normal bubbly voice, in the background I could hear the girls giggling and talking about outfits. "Hey girls, can you keep it down? I can't hear Sera!" she shouted after covering the receiver.

"Lena, I need you to get over to the hospital as soon as possible," I stated in as calm a voice as I could muster up given the circumstances.

"What's wrong? Please tell me nothing happened to Jeff," replied Lena, beginning to panic as thoughts ran through her head.

"No, he's as healthy as can be apparently," I answered with a laugh.

"What? I don't get it. If he's fine, then what's going on?" Lena asked, utterly confused with the situation.

"I'll tell you everything when you get here. I have to go, I can't talk right now," I told her trying to cut the conversation short because my voice was beginning to crack as the tears started welling up in my eyes again.

"Okay, the girls and I will head up there right now," replied Lena. "Bye sis, love you," she added before hanging up.

– Sera –

"What am I going to do Darien?" I asked, covering my face with my hands while I sobbed quietly, careful not to let Brandon sense my inner turmoil.

"I don't know Serena, I don't know," Darien replied as he rubbed my back gently and wrapped an arm around me.

"We could've discussed this," I mumbled, thinking of reasons as to why Jeff would want to run away from me and our son. 'Solaris loves me, he wouldn't just up and leave without a reason, even if he can't remember our life together here,' I thought, reasoning with the doubt that ran rampant in my heart.

"Sera!" called out Nina as she and the other girls came running up towards Darien and I. I looked behind them wondering where my sister was but was cut off before I could even open my mouth to speak. "She's on her way up, had to park the car," she answered quickly.

"Everything okay, Sera?" asked Kayla, picking Brandon up from his position on the floor before he could picked something foreign off the floor.

"Sis!" yelled Lena, running down the hallway towards our group after she spotted us from the elevator. "What happened?" she asked, resting her hands on her knees to catch her breath.

"We don't know, she hasn't said a single word since we got here," answered Stacy quietly.

"Sera?" Lillian called out, gently shaking me to snap me out of my reverie.

"Sorry girls, I'm just at a lost of words right now, so I guess I'm just gonna come right out and say it," I spoke up suddenly, looking at them apologetically.

"It's okay silly, no need for apologies, we're all here for you," encouraged Nina, grabbing my hand and grasping it firmly.

"Jeff left this morning, he's gone," I stated quietly before letting go of Nina's hand and taking Brandon out of Kayla's arms. "He asked to be transferred back to the states and Dr. Bowen gave the okay for him to leave," I added before anybody could ask any questions. I only had one shot at telling them before I broke down, and I would not falter for a moment until I was done. "They said he left with a family member bright and early this morning," I finished quietly, brushing my hand through Brandon's hair as I turned around and stared at them, tears brimming in my eyes.

"What do you mean he just left? He has no family members here besides you and I though," Lena spoke up as soon as I stopped talking. I could see the girls all trying to figure out who could have left with Jeff and we were all clueless.

"Uhm, sorry to disturb you Mrs. Timmons, but it says Mr. Lachey was the one who signed his discharge papers," interrupted the nurse quietly.

"Nick?!" cried Lena incredulously. "Are you sure?" she asked, not believing that her fiancé could have taken part in this nightmare.

"Yes, 100% certain," she added, handing the papers over to Lena to glance at the signature. Sure enough, there was Nick's name right below Solaris' sad attempt at signing Jeff's name.

"Hang on, I'm gonna call Nick first," stated Lena, pulling out her cell and pushing down on her speed dial. After a few rings, it went to voice mail. "Can you try Drew's cell too Kayla?" she asked, redialing Nick's number again.

"Voice mail," answer Kayla, flipping her phone shut. She turned and looked at Nina, who pulled out her cell and dialed Justin's number.

"Same," stated Nina, sighing as she looked down at her phone. Nobody knew what to think or how to feel as realization dawned upon them. It was obvious that all the guys had left with Solaris.

"I can't believe those jerks would do that without telling any of us!" cried Nina, tossing her phone into her purse angrily.

"When I get my hands on Nick, I'm going to wring his neck," muttered Lena, gripping her cell tightly as she bore a hole into the wall with her glare.

"Maybe we should all calm down for a bit. I'm sure there is a perfectly logical explanation to their sudden departure," interrupted Darien, trying to break the uneasy atmosphere that had built up.

"I'm tired, Brandon and I are going home to take a nap, it's been a rough week for us," I stated, getting up and waving at everyone before heading towards the elevator. I didn't even bother to look at anybody, I just wanted to get home and hide under my blankets so nobody would see me fall apart.

"Wait, we're coming with you," called out Lena, hurrying after us as we entered the elevator. The girls all rushed in just as the door shut, leaving Darien sitting there all by his lonesome. Suddenly, there was a loud beep and I felt my phone vibrate from inside my handbag. "I'll get that for you," she said, pulling out my phone to show me an e-mail that was flashing on the screen.

"Here, can you hold him for a sec Lillian?" I asked, handing Brandon over to her as I took my phone from Lena and opened the message.

Sera,

Solaris wanted to get away for a while, so the guys and I decided to go with him. I'll text you again when we get situated, we'll be staying at our vacation home near the hospital in Maryland. Please forgive us for leaving so suddenly.

–Nick

"What did he say?" asked Lena, taking the phone out of my grasp and looking over the e-mail herself. "The nerve of that man, I will skin him alive when he gets back," she added, fuming as she tucked my phone back into my bag.

"So where are they?" asked Kayla curiously. I could tell that she was inwardly wondering where Drew had gone.

"Back home, Maryland to be exact," I answered briefly, taking Brandon back into my arms. I held onto him tightly, afraid that he might disappear too if I so much as blinked an eye. How had my life had gone so awry in such a short time span? I felt lightheaded just thinking about it.

"Don't worry Sera, I'm sure they'll come to their senses and be back before we can even think of a good form of punishment for them," Nina spoke up, trying to lighten to mood by joking lightly. I didn't feel the same, but smiled to bring up her spirit because I'm certain she was just as confused as Kayla was.

"Let's just head back to the penthouse and we can cook a huge dinner and bake cookies, you know that always cheers us up whenever we've had bad days," suggested Lillian, smiling as she thought back to the several occasions where we've all gathered around and comforted one another during hardships.

"Sounds like a good idea," I agreed, hoping it would cheer the girls up if I pretended like I was somewhat okay. No sense in bringing them down with me, I needed them to look after Brandon for me if I ever cracked. We went back to the penthouse and watched chick flicks while hanging out, trying to keep our minds off the topic at hand.

– The Guys –

"Are you sure this is a good idea Nick? I mean, I'm pretty sure Sera will be devastated when she finds out we all assisted Jeff in his decision to abandon not only her, but their child as well," Justin spoke up as he and Nick were putting their bags up in the overhead compartments.

"I never said it was a good idea Justin, but there is nothing we can do. I can't just let Jeff wander off all by himself when he barely knows who he is. Can you imagine the chaos that will ensue when fans find him?" Nick answered, exhaustion growing more and more apparent in his strained toned.

"That's a sight I'd love to see actually," laughed Drew, interrupting the conversation as he took his seat beside Justin. "By the way, did anybody get a chance to tell the girls we left yet?" he asked quietly, hoping Solaris hadn't overheard his question. He put a finger up to his lips and jerked his head towards Solaris' position two seats away.

"Yeah, I sent Sera an email while I was packing my bags earlier," replied Nick in a hushed tone. "I'm going to never hear the end of this when Lena calls," he added, already regretting not telling his fiancé of their decision.

"Oh dude, you're so toast," laughed Justin as he imagined Lena's pissed off face and the wrath that would ensue.

"Look who's talking smart ass, Nina will rip you a new one once she gets a hold of you Justin," stated Drew, laughing as the smirk was wiped off Justin's face and replaced with a look of shock.

"Damn, she's going to eat me alive," muttered Justin, slamming his fist down on the seat handle. "You're so lucky Kayla is the sweetest one amongst all the girls," he added, envious of Drew's understanding girlfriend.

"Hey now, don't blame me, you could've picked Lillian," laughed Drew.

"Nah dude, I think Mike has a thing for her actually," pointed out Justin, elbowing Mike in the side in the process.

"What?! You must be crazy, he's lying," stuttered Mike, laughing as he ran a hand through his hair nervously.

"How do you manage us when you're so freaking shy with the ladies man?" asked Justin as he threw an arm around Mike's shoulder and pulled him in closer. "Trust me, Lillian is into you!" he added, winking at the guys when they gave him questioning looks.

"Really?" asked Mike, his eyes brimming with hope.

"Ignore this idiot, he's just trying to get you to confess and make a total moron of yourself," interrupted Drew, smacking Justin upside his head.

"Aw man, you ruin all my fun Drew!" complained Justin.

"So she doesn't like me?" asked Mike, confused as to where he now stood.

"Truthfully, we haven't the slightest idea. Lillian keeps to herself mostly, we've never seen her flirt with other guys while we were around, so we don't know what kind of guys she's attracted to Mike," answered Nick with a shrug.

"Why don't you just ask her out when you see her next? It can't hurt to try, you know, suggested Drew.

"Speaking of the girls, do you think they'll all follow us back to the states?" asked Justin curiously.

"If I know them as well as I think I do, I'm pretty sure they're already on their way back as we speak," stated Nick quietly, glancing over at Solaris to make sure he hadn't overhead any of their conversation.

– The Girls –

As soon as we got to the penthouse, the girls started whipping out the cookware while I put Brandon down for a nap. I came into the kitchen to find the girls all laughing and swatting each other with towels.

"Do I need to act as mother here ladies?" I asked with a laugh as Lena threw a marshmallow at me. "Okay, just for that, time out young lady!" I said, pretending to sound stern like a mother would.

"Right, like that really scares me!" retorted Lena, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, I can be scary if I want to be you know!" I said in my own defense as I caught a whiff of the cookie dough and scrunched my face up in distaste. "Sorry Lena!" I cried, shoving Lena out of the way and making a run for the nearest restroom I could think of, which happened to be attached to Lena's room.

"What gives woman?!" called out Lena as she was shoved into the island counter in my hasty exit. The girls all piled into the restroom with confused looks on their faces as they watched me empty the contents in my stomach.

"Are you okay Sera?" asked Kayla as she rubbed my back while I was bent over the toilet convulsing to death.

"Maybe she ate something bad?" suggested Nina.

"I only had fruit for breakfast," I told her as I pulled myself up from off the ground exhaustedly. "I don't know why, but that smell just made me want to puke so badly," I added, wiping my face after rinsing my mouth.

"Hang on, lets think this through logically," interrupted Lillian from her position by the shower stall. "How many weeks has it been since your last cycle Sera?" she asked curiously as I gave her an exasperated look.

"Oh snap, don't tell me you are!" cried Lena in surprise.

"Can't be, I'm supposed to get it this week stupid," I retorted, smacking her for being retarded. "And since when did you talk like you were raised by hoodlums you dork?" I asked, quirking my eyebrow with a questioning look.

"Since I met you!" answered Lena in response to my sarcastic remark.

"Hey guys, can we be serious here?" interrupted Lillian giving us both a stern look. "Now if you two are done being 5 year olds, I'd like to point out a few things," she added mockingly.

"Geez Lil, must you be so ruthless?" asked Nina, crossing her arms and giving Lillian an irritated look. "I mean, come on now. We're all hoping Rena isn't coming down with some stomach virus or worse, and all you can do is be mean, talk about harsh," she huffed.

"Well, if you guys would let the poor girl finished, maybe she could explain herself," argued Stacy in Lillian's own defense.

"Alright girls, lets stop this nonsense," I spoke up quietly, sitting back down on the toilet after placing the seat cover down. "Let me think in silence for a bit," I added, clutching my head as a pounding headache started to sneak its way in.

"Sera, hasn't it been a while though?" asked Kayla as she came over and sat down on the tub beside me. I rubbed my temples and counted my days backward in my head, going over the exact time I got my visitor last month and tried to think of the actual date it was.

"Today is the 8th right?" I asked, hoping that I wasn't losing track of my days now. So much crap had been going on lately that I haven't been myself at all.

"Uh, Sere, it's the 13th today sis," announced Lena worriedly. "I know it's been a crazy week, but how'd you lose track of 5 days?" she asked quietly.

"I honestly don't know where my mind has been lately," I admitted tiredly. 'Was it really possible for me to be pregnant?' I thought, not at all surprised, but sad because of the horrible timing. With the given circumstances, it was hard to be happy about being with child at the moment, even if it was with Jeff.

"Okay, so what now?" asked Nina, interrupting the eerie silence that had taken over. The girls all looked at me and for a second, I was speechless, but then I realized what needed to be done and sighed.

"I'll stop by the pharmacy," announced Lena, getting up and squeezing my hand tightly before leaving me and the girls in her bathroom.

"Why don't you lie down and rest for a bit while she's out picking things up for you?" suggested Lillian, pulling me up and leading me down the hallway.

"Good idea," piped in Nina as she followed suit.

"Alone stupid," interrupted Stacy, rolling her eyes as she pulled Nina back.

"Yeah, I'd like to be alone for a bit," I added quietly, as Lillian opened her bedroom door and left me to my thoughts.

– Outside –

"Wow," Nina replied as soon as the door shut behind Sera. "That really blows," she whispered, flopping down into a chair in the living room.

"Yeah, I don't know how she's handling it so well," said Kayla, heading back into the kitchen to clean up the mess they had started to create.

"I guess that means no cookies for us," Stacy half joked trying to lighten the mood a little bit. "You think maybe we should make her some soup instead?" she asked, thinking of things that would help settle Sera's stomach.

"I think that's a good idea, I'm sure she'll be hungry when she wakes up later. Plus we should pick up something for Brandon too," added Lillian after wiping the counters dry. Sure enough, the moment they started to clean, a tiny wail was heard coming from Kayla's bedroom.

"I'll get him, you guys finish up in here," Kayla told the girls as she headed down the hall towards her room to get Brandon before his wails woke Sera.

"Hey, where's Sere at?" asked Lena as she came into the kitchen with bags in both arms.

"In my room," answered Lillian as she eyed both bags incredulously. "Geez Lena, you cleared out the pharmacy!" she laughed, going through the contents.

"Well, I didn't know which one would be the best one, so I just got them all," replied Lena, grabbing the bag back from Lillian and heading down the hall. "Sere?" she called out, knocking lightly on Lillian's door before opening it and peeking her head around the door to check on her sister.

"Hmm?" replied Sera sleepily, rubbing her eyes slightly and looking around for a bit. "I'm so tired Lena," she whispered, laying her head back down and closing her eyelids again.

"I'll let you sleep later sis, lets get this straightened out first okay?" said Lena, walking over and sitting on the edge of the bed beside her. "I don't want you to stress out from not knowing," she added, pushing a few strands away from her forehead and placing it behind her ear.

"I guess," admitted Sera before letting Lena pull her up into a sitting position so she could reorient herself before getting up entirely. They both headed into Lena's room and went about figuring out which tests to start with first.

– Sera POV –

'This waiting is unnerving,' I thought as I placed all the tests on the sink and sat down on the toilet and waiting patiently. "5 minutes, right?" I called out to Lena before deciding that waiting in the restroom would be too intense so I got out and headed out to where she was sitting on her bed.

"So, what did it say?" asked Lena curiously, while playing with some of her hair and checking for dead ends.

"Don't know yet, few more minutes I guess," I shrugged, flopping down on the bed and placing my forearm over my head. "I'll be damned if your retarded brother took off to left me to deal with another pregnancy on my own again," I added in frustration.

"But what can we do though?" questioned Lena as she laid down beside me and wrapped an arm around my snugly. "You know he's going through a rough time right now too," she added quietly and I nodded in agreement.

"I just can't do it all by myself anymore. Brandon is barely walking and I'll be unable to tend to his needs it I balloon to the size of a blimp," I replied tiredly.

"Don't worry, we're all here for you sis," said Lena, trying to soothe my unease slightly. Sometimes I had to hand it to her, she always knew what to say at the right moments to appease even the biggest of my problems.

"I know, but it's not the same as having a father around," I responded, tearing up as I thought of Brandon growing up and Jeff not being there to see all his first moments. It was moments like these that I questioned if the heavens truly hated me or not. I mean, they give me a taste of pure happiness, only to whip it right out from under me. How more cruel can it get?

"No, I'll drag him back here if I have to," argued Lena, squeezing me tighter when she heard me sniffle quietly. "Please don't cry sissy," she whispered.

"Sera?" called out Lillian from outside Lena's bedroom door.

"Come in girls," I called out before getting up and heading back into the restroom to check on the pregnancy tests. The girls all piled into Lena's room and I could hear Brandon cooing as Kayla sat him down on the floor in the corner of the room where a pile a pillows sad on a throw.

"So, what are the results?" asked Nina as she sat down besides Brandon and played with his locks gently, igniting a giggle from him.

"Are we going to be aunties again?" asked Stacy, pulling a pillow into her lap and playing with the corners idly. I shut the door behind me and took a deep breath before walking over to the sink and peering down slowly.

'You already knew you were, so why are you so shocked stupid?' I scolded myself as the plus sign stared straight back at me. Looking over to the next few tests, I saw double lines and the word 'Pregnant' across the various tests scattered across the sink counter and couldn't help but laugh at the irony of my situation. I started tearing up as I picked them all up and chunked them into the garbage bin before turning back to the door. 'Great,' I thought before opening it and looking out at all the girls with a sad smile on my face.

"It'll be okay Sera," Kayla spoke up as soon as she saw the tears in my eyes. She got up and came over to pull me into a tight embrace and rubbed my back.

"Yeah, we're all here for you," piped in Nina as she too joined in on the hug. Slowly, one by one, all the girls wrapped their arms around me and we just stood there for a few minutes.

"I'm fine," I told them as the tears started to fall freely and my voice cracked. They only hugged me tighter, which in turn, caused me to finally break down and sob loudly as the held me.

"We'll get through this together," I heard Lena whisper as we all pulled apart and she looked me straight in the eye. "We're a family, and nothing will ever change that," she added reassuringly. Now if only my husband felt the same way his half sister did, then all my woes would just disappear.

'Oh Jeff, why is it so hard for us?' I wondered sadly, closing my eyes and letting the sadness overtake my thoughts as I knelt down on the floor and pulled Brandon into my lap. He grabbed my face with his tiny hands and smiled at me. "Please come home to us baby," I whispered as I held my son tightly and rocked him back and forth in my arms.

~A.N.~

Okay, I'm going to stop there, because I need something to post and I think this is a nice stopping point to leave off at. I think I'll only add one more chapter before I'm finally done with this story. This is an entirely different ending from what I had before, but I think I like it a lot better this way. Hope you guys enjoyed it and look forward to the next installation. R & R please! Thanks! Ja!


	20. Twenty Part I

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*SuN-MoOn-ChiLd*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This is part I of my last and final update for No Turning Back. I hope those of you that have read it liked it. I know it fell into that clichéd category, but keep in mind that I started this story over 6 years ago so my mind set was not what it is today. I was in love with a few songs by 98 degrees, so I got it stuck in my head that it would make a really neat cross-over since everyone else was doing it at the time also. I just wanted to explain myself since I know that it is probably the main reason why nobody read this story all these years. In any case, here it is.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*SuN-MoOn-ChiLd*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

– The Guys –

The plane had taken off and was already a little over an hour into the flight when Solaris unbuckled his seatbelt and headed back to where the guys were all gathered around talking quietly amongst themselves. At his arrival, the atmosphere got tense and eerily quiet.

"Don't tell me you guys are going to act like we're complete strangers now," retorted Solaris is annoyance. "We've known each other for years, so why the awkward silence?" he asked, trying to get a better grasp at the different aura they each held.

"Uh Jeff, I mean Solaris, things are different now," answered Justin, scratching the back of his head, while looking to the other guys for a little help.

"Why the heck do you keep calling me that name?" bit Solaris as his eyes flared up in anger. He was beginning to feel like a complete stranger to his own friends. The very thought of it was ridiculous, yet somehow, it seemed like perhaps he was the delirious one.

"Well, that's because it's who you are in this life. Whether or not you accept it, that's who you are," stated Nick bluntly.

"Yeah, and to be honest, that was pretty messed up what you did to Sera back there. I have no idea why you are doing this to her," added Justin

"Sera… That name doesn't ring a bell, and yet you boys are all telling me otherwise," replied Solaris quietly. He thought long and hard ever since Serenity had stormed out of his room yesterday, but all that did was give him an even bigger headache. So the first thing he did was ask Nicholas to transfer him to another hospital so he could get away for a bit. The impact of the reality he had woken up to was too much for his mind to handle. 'I'm such a coward. Running away from the woman I swore to love,' he laughed at himself, as he shook his head in the process, causing the guys to look at him oddly.

"It'll come to you Sol, just give it some time," said Drew, patting him on the shoulder gently with a sympathetic smile.

"Were there at least any photos or recordings of events during this life that I seemed to have forgotten all about?" asked Solaris curiously.

"Well, yeah, tons of them actually!" spoke up Justin enthusiastically. "Did anybody bring their laptop?" he asked, checking to see if his phone had any pictures from past events.

"Dude, why the heck are you even checking your phone? You don't even know how to use the damn camera function on it," laughed Drew as he pulled out his laptop and pulled up a blog entry. "Sera actually kept a live journal of everything between you guys ever since you two started dating," he added, sliding the laptop over for Solaris to look at.

"Yeah, she was hooked on that thing. That's how you actually kept up to date with everything that was going on with Brandon while we were on tour," said Nick, laughing as he saw Solaris pull up an old log entry from their college days.

"I can't believe I don't remember a single one of these moments," uttered Solaris, staring at the pictures as if he didn't believe that it was really him. "Do you mind if I use this to look through this entries alone?" he asked, looking towards Drew.

"Yeah sure, no problem," answered Drew, a little too happy to oblige. "Take your time, I don't need it anytime soon," he added, smiling as Solaris headed back towards his seat.

"Hey, do you think looking at any of those entries will trigger something?" asked Justin in quiet hushed tone as soon as Solaris was out of hearing range.

"That depends on how much those memories mean to him," answered Drew with a shrug as they all looked over and watched Solaris stare intensely at the screen before him.

"I hope he patches things up with Sera soon. I don't know how much trouble we're already in because of his actions," sighed Nick as he looked down at his phone and noticed a voicemail. "I'm never going to hear the end of this," he muttered, shaking his head as he turned his phone off, not wanting to deal with the mess right now.

– The Girls –

"You know what I think?" asked Stacy as she sat on Lena's bed beside Lillian. The girls and I all turned to look at her curiously when she continued, "I think a spa day sounds good right about now." As soon as she finished, all the girls broke out in smiles, nodding in agreement.

"Sounds like a plan! I'll call and see if they can reserve a room for us," replied Nina as she made the call to the spa. "Hey Allison, this is Nina Horton calling. I just have a question. You wouldn't happen to have the private party room available today would you?" she asked the receptionist who had answered the line.

"Tell her they'll get a nice tip if they can arrange it for us," interrupted Lena with a wink which made us all laugh at her antics.

"What about Brandon?" I asked, ruffling the locks on my son's head gently, kissing him as he gurgled in response.

"He can sit in there with us while we have our massages silly," replied Stacy with a smile, waving her hand at me like I should've known.

"Okay, we'll see you in an hour then. Thanks so much!" said Nina as she flipped her cell closed. "Alright girls, they penciled us in at 2 o'clock, so we have about half an hour to change into something more comfy before heading out," she told us, plopping down on the bed.

– Spa –

"Hi Mrs. Timmons," greeted the receptionist at the counter as I walked in with Brandon in my arms and the girls all right behind me. "We're setting up your room at the moment, so if you can just wait in the lounge for a few moments, we'll come get you once it's ready," she told us and led the way towards the waiting room.

"I can't wait for my massage, it's been weeks since my last one," said Stacy as she stretched her arms and sat down beside Lillian.

"Oh, I forgot to let you know earlier, but hers will be prenatal this time," mentioned Nina, pointing towards me with a big grin on her face.

"Congratulations!" said the receptionist happily as she rushed over and gave me a light hug. "How far along are you Mrs. Timmons," she asked curiously.

"Not sure, but probably just around a month or so," I answered, placing a hand over my stomach gently. "Is it safe to even have a massage this early on in the pregnancy?" I asked, worried that the pressure could cause a miscarriage.

"Don't worry Mrs. Timmons, you'll be on a different table this time, so there shouldn't be any pressure at all," stated the receptionist, rubbing my back to calm my fears.

"You're such a worry wart Sere," laughed Lena with a roll of her eyes.

"It's common for ladies in their first trimester to worry over miscarriages though," Lillian said in my defense as I smiled at her in appreciation.

"Okay ladies, we're all set for you," announced one of the assistants, interrupting our little debate. "Why don't you all change into a robe and then you can join us in the private room once you're done," she informed us, pointing in the direction of the changing room before she went back into the room to set up the scented oils.

"Should we undress Brandon and let him sit in his diaper so his clothes won't smell like aroma therapy all day?" asked Stacy as she sat Brandon down on a chair while we all changed out of our clothes.

"No, I don't want him catching a cold," I told her, locking up my bag in the locker and picking Brandon up. "You girls ready?" I called over my shoulder on my way out.

"I'll be right behind you guys," answered Lena as the girls all piled out behind me. I turned back and looked and Lena curiously while she waved us off and pulled out her cell.

"Must be work related," laughed Nina as she shook her head and ushered me out the door with the rest of the girls. "I'm sure she's just telling them she won't be coming in," she added casually as I gave her an uneasy look.

"Don't worry, it's not like she's skipping work for no reason," Stacy when she saw the look on my face. "Besides, we're all caught up with shoots anyway," she added as we all entered the private room where the therapists were waiting for us.

"This will be your table Mrs. Timmons," the massage therapist informed me as they led me towards the back of the room. Beside my table was a tiny play pen and I couldn't help but smile at the idea.

"You guys thought about everything huh?" I laughed as I placed Brandon down and gave him a few toys to play with.

"We try to accommodate all our clientele's needs," she answered with a smile and helped me get situated under the covers. The other girls all got into their tables and we all lay there quietly, enjoying the soothing music play while we waited for Lena to join us.

– Locker Room –

"Hi Dr. Jenkins, this is Lena Johnson, Sera Timmons' sister-in-law," said Lena quietly, checking the door every few moments to make sure nobody came in. "Yes, I was wondering if you had any openings today for a quick check-up," she added, pulling out her planner to check her schedule. "Oh no, that is perfectly fine, anytime you are free will do," she said quickly, jotting down some information before hanging up.

– Private Room –

"Hey Lena, bout time you got in here woman," called out Nina from her table as she removed a cucumber from her eye and gave Lena an inquisitive look.

"Sorry, had to make an appointment for later," Lena told the girls knowing that she couldn't get out of keeping anything from them. I tuned the girls out and tried to enjoy my massage as most as I could while managing to listen to Brandon cooing and gurgling as he played with his toys. This went on for the next 45 minutes before the told us to turn over so they could work on our other side before I fell asleep.

"… Sere?" called out one of the girls as I came to half an hour later. "Oh my gawd, were you asleep this whole time?" asked Nina.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" I asked still somewhat groggy from my mild slumber.

"Geez woman, we've been talking to you this entire time thinking you were actually paying attention," laughed Lena.

"Yeah, you even responded a few times," teased Stacy, stifling a laugh.

"Oh good lord, did I say anything?" I asked nervously, thinking I had mumbled thoughts out loud. I tend to talk in my sleep when I'm stressed or having a really good dream. Jeff has overheard it on many occasions and teases me relentlessly about it.

"Yeah, something about cheesecake and heaven," laughed Lena as I wacked her with a towel. "Which reminds me, we need to head out now," she added more seriously. I looked at her with a questioning gaze as we all got our things and headed back to the changing rooms.

"Where's Brandon?" I asked, freaking out when I noticed him missing from his play pen. I looked around the room frantically before spotting his brown tresses by the door.

"Calm down Sere, I have him," replied Kaye in a hushed tone, rubbing his back as he started to fuss from all the commotion.

"Where are we going anyways?" chimed in Nina curiously as she finished changing and grabbed her bag from the locker.

"We are not going anywhere. Sera and I are going somewhere together. You girls are going home to let Brandon take his nap," answered Lena sternly.

"We are?" I responded, surprised that I was being dragged along this time. Usually Lena goes off and does her own things while the girls and I went home to rest. "Where are we going then?" I asked her, pulling out my planner to check my schedule.

"Did you have somewhere else to be Sera?" asked Kaye quietly as she came up behind me and peered over my shoulder. "Interview?" she read out loud in a curious tone causing the other girls to all stop and look at me in shock.

"Yes, I have an interview with a publisher about a short story I am working on," I replied, shutting my planner and rolling my eyes at their nosiness.

"Why haven't any of us heard about this story?" asked Lillian, crossing her arms and looking at me inquisitively.

"Yes, do tell. Inquiring minds would like to know," added Stacy, laughing as I shook my head at her antics. Leave it to them to grill me over something to miniscule.

"It's just a little piece of work I wanted a professional opinion on. To see if I should pursue the idea and see where it will take me," I answered nonchalantly.

"Since when did you ever write?" asked Nina in a teasing manner.

"Actually Nina, Sera minored in Literature along with her Bachelor's degree in Biology," Kaye interrupted in my defense, earning an appreciative smile from me.

"So why did you wait so long to do anything?" asked Stacy.

"Probably because she met Jeff and they got married shortly after graduation," stated Lena, giving the girls a look over like they had lost their minds. It shocked us both when the girls started asking questions because everyone knew the entire story behind Jeff and I already.

"Well of course, we all know about the timeline between those two. But we're wondering why Sera never got a job after getting married," explained Kaye trying to act as mediator.

"I actually had planned on taking a job right after getting back from our honeymoon, but I got pregnant and Jeff went on tour all of a sudden, so I couldn't accept the offer," I told the girls quietly, taking a seat in a lounge chair to rest while they continued to grill me.

"Lets finish this later, Sera and I need to get going or we'll be late," interrupted Lena suddenly, grabbing her bag and helping me up from my chair. "We'll see you all in an hour or two," she explained before leading me out the door and straight to the front counter. "Let me check out real quick," she told me and turned to the receptionist, while I stood their looking dumbfounded by her sudden motherly nature.

"Are you going to tell me where you're taking me at least?" I asked after finally snapping out of my dazed state and looking at her like she had sprouted another head. She shook her head and walked towards her car.

'Might as well get this over with,' I thought exhaustedly, giving up any attempts at asking her again and followed along obligingly.

– Hospital –

"Wake up Sera," called out Lena, shaking me slightly, seeing as how I had fallen asleep during the short car ride over. I looked outside and noticed we were at the front entrance of the hospital. "I know you're probably confused, but just bare with me okay?" she pleaded, helping me out of the car and handing the keys over to the valet person. Just then, Darien came out of the sliding doors and spotted us.

"Are you two okay?" asked Darien worriedly, looking us both over to make sure we weren't hurt anywhere. He eyed me closely and I just rolled my eyes and laughed.

"I'm fine Darien, don't worry," I told him reassuringly.

"Yeah, we're just here to visit Amy," answered Lena, grabbing my arm and pulling me away before I could say anything else. "See ya around Dare," she called out as we disappeared into the lobby, leaving Darien standing there alone with a lost look on his face.

"So why are we seeing Amy again?" I asked, pulling my arm out of Lena's tight grasp as we reached the elevators.

"First off, I never told you why we were seeing Amy," she pointed out before sticking her tongue out at me as I gave her a dirty look. "But if you must know, we're not seeing Amy, that was just a cover up to get Darien off our case" she added.

"So then what are we doing here?" I asked confused as the elevator doors chimed open and she ushered me out into the hallway. I looked around and noticed we were on a familiar floor but I couldn't quite recall which floor we had stopped on so I couldn't place it.

"Stop asking so many questions and just get in already" said Lena as she opened the door for me and gently pushed me into the waiting room. Just then it hit me, we were in an OB/GYN office, Dr. Leila Jenkins' office to be exact.

"Hello ladies, I've been expecting you," greeted Leila from the doorway as we both smiled meekly at her in response. "Come on in," she said while walking back towards the examining rooms. "I must say I was quite shocked to receive a call from Lena this afternoon," she explained after everyone got situated in the room.

"Don't worry, it took me by surprise to," I said, shaking my head as I glared at Lena, causing Leila to laugh in response.

"So who is it that I am examining today?" asked Leila, confused with the situation. "I had assumed that it was Lena who wanted to visit with me today," she stated.

"Heavens no!" answered Lena quickly. "Nick and I haven't planned that far ahead yet," she laughed nervously.

"Wouldn't it be nice if it were Lena that was pregnant instead though?" I laughed half-heartedly. 'At least they're still together' I thought bitterly.

"Am I feeling an unwanted pregnancy here?" questioned Leila in a serious tone.

"Of course not silly, she's just experiencing the joys of morning sickness and it's making her grumpy," interrupted Lena quickly as I sighed out loud.

"It's just stressful," I answered honestly. "I'm not even sure how far along I am. It's been hectic ever since Jeff got back that I've lost track of my days," I admitted.

"You could say that again! She thought it was still the 8th Leila," laughed Lena. I could tell she was trying to lighten the mood, but I am in no mindset to laugh at the moment.

"Well, why don't we take a urine sample while I start up the sonogram?" suggested Leila, handing me a small plastic cup and tilting her head towards the door. The two proceeded to catch up while I headed off towards the restroom with my little cup in hand.

"This is so retarded," I muttered out loud as I washed my hands and exited the restroom after leaving the cup in the biohazard bin for the nurse to collect. When I came back in, both Leila and Lena were laughing hysterically. "What's so funny?" I asked curiously.

"We were just talking about Brandon since I haven't seen him in forever," answered Leila as she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and smiled at me. "I do appreciate all the pictures you've sent me. He's grown up to be a handsome little fellow," she added.

"Yeah, he's quite the hand full," I laughed, taking a seat back on the examining table and laying down to rest my head since I felt a minor headache coming on.

"Tired?" asked Lena, coming over and laying a hand on my forehead to check. "How's that headache?" she asked while she played with my bangs unconsciously.

"Not so bad, I can manage," I answered quietly, closing my eyes and enjoying her fingers run through my hair. "Not looking forward to the cool gel that is about to come in contact with my tummy though," I mumbled grumpily.

"Don't worry Sera, I went and bought the warming gel after all the complaints you made last time," interrupted Leila, laughing as she held up the bottle to show us both.

"Oh thank god," I said, relieved that I didn't have to cringe from the coldness of the gel since my stomach was still a bit upset from earlier. Just then, a nurse came in a nodded at Leila before leaving. "What was that?" I asked, quirking an eyebrow at her.

"Your test came back positive," answered Leila with a shrug as she came and sat down beside me. "So let's see how big this little one has gotten," she said, turning the machine on and grabbing the bottle of lubricant. "Ready?" she asked with a smile.

"Yes!" said Lena excitedly causing us both to laugh at her enthusiasm. Leila put a little of the gel on me, and sure to her word, it was nice and warm.

"Okay, I hear a nice heartbeat," stated Leila, moving the wand around on my stomach as she tried to locate the position of the embryo. "I think we got it," she said, highlighting the area and enlarging it for Lena and I both to see. "Judging from the size, I'd say about a little over 8 weeks," she stated, looking the screen over closely.

"Geez, you about missed your entire trimester," commented Lena jokingly.

"I can't believe I skipped two cycles without noticing," I said, still shocked at the news. Considering the situation, you can't really be appalled by my reaction, it's not like I would be bringing the child into a happy environment with both parents to raise it. Tears started to well up in my eyes as I thought about Jeff.

"It happens when stress comes into the equation," pointed out Leila, wiping the excess gel off my stomach and helping me sit up. "I'll have the nurse set you up for your monthly visits on your way out. Should we expect to see Jeff with you on your next check-up?" she asked happily, smiling as she handed me a copy of the sonogram.

"No, Jeff won't be making it to any of the appointments," I answered. "He was transferred back to the states to John Hopkins because they have a good neurology center," I added, trying to cover up the dryness in my response.

"Oh, that's right, I heard about the accident. I'm so sorry Sera," replied Leila in a soft remorseful tone. "I hope you're not too stressed over this, it'll be bad for the baby during your first trimester," she added, concern etched across her face.

"Don't worry, the girls and I will make sure she is in tip top shape!" chimed Lena with a reassuring smile. "I already have big shopping plans in mind," she added.

"Don't overdo it though. Although I normally recommend walking for pregnant women, I'm going to restrict Sera to light activities considering her history," ordered Leila, taking out a pen and pad and filling out what looked like a prescription. "These are your pre-natal vitamins, please take them accordingly," she said, giving me the piece of paper.

"Are we all set?" asked Lena, hopping up from her seat and helping me down from the examining table. "Let's get you home," she whispered, noticing my yawn.

"Don't hesitate to call me at my cell if you feel anything out of the ordinary okay?" spoke up Leila as I nodded and Lena ushered me out towards the checkout counter. We paid our bill and grabbed the appointment calendar before heading down to the lobby.

"Hey girls, all done with your visit?" called out Darien from the nurses' station as we passed by. I nodded with a smile before putting my papers away in my planner so he wouldn't notice anything. "I hope you're not sick," he added, coming over and giving me a hug.

"Nothing out of the ordinary I supposed," I answered meekly.

"She's fine, just a routine check-up," interrupted Lena before grabbing hold of my free hand and pulling me towards the lobby entrance. "We need to get going though, see ya Darien!" she called out as I was yanked out the doors.

"Bye Darien!" I managed to get out with a wave before the doors closed behind us. "Geez Lena, what's the big idea?" I griped when we came to a stop at the valet stand.

"If you don't want Darien finding out, I suggest you not talk to him," said Lena in a serious tone. "Unless you want everyone to know," she added with emphasis.

'She has a point,' I thought with a grim expression on my face. The last thing I wanted was anybody to find out about my pregnancy before I was certain of my condition. "You're right I guess," I mumbled in agreement. "Can I trust you not to let it slip with Nick?" I asked, hoping she got the point I was hinting at.

"You don't want the guys to know?" she asked with a confused look on her face. I felt bad asking her to keep something from Nick, since I know Jeff and I were always honest with one another. "Don't tell me you plan on not telling Jeff about this Sera," she stated after she realized what my intentions were.

"Not entirely. I just don't know what's going to happen right now. And with Jeff's health the way it is, there really isn't a point to telling him about it just yet," I explained, fiddling my fingers to occupy myself.

"So when do you plan on informing the guys?" inquired Lena, leering at me as if I weren't being completely honest with her.

"I don't know, in a few weeks I guess. At least let me make it into my second trimester before everyone knows. You girls are the only ones who know about this, and it will stay that way until I am ready to let everyone know," I stated firmly.

"Fine, but I'm not very fond of this whole secrecy deal," replied Lena hesitantly.

"For my sake, please?" I pleaded with her, grabbing hold of her hands. "Just for a little while, until I get my thoughts sorted out," I added.

"Okay, but only because I don't want you going crazy and stressing the baby out!" said Lena, yanking her hands out of mine and shaking a finger at me. I nodded happily and we both got in her car as the valet guy pulled up in front of us. After getting back to the penthouse, we told the girls of the situation and I took a long overdue nap with Brandon tucked safely in my arms. I will be sleeping with him a lot from now on, especially after having my other half just walk out on the both of us without so much as a single goodbye.

– The Guys –

Solaris had been skimming through the blogs for a good half hour now while the guys continued with their games and small talk. He saw dozens of photos of him and Serenity that went along with all the occasions that Serenity spoke of in her entries, but none of those memories rung a bell in his mind.

'Am I truly someone else now?' he asked himself, wondering where all the missing memories were now. He finally came to an entry that made his heart skip a beat. It was a picture of Serenity in a wedding gown that had caught his attention in the first place. 'God, she's beautiful,' he thought, smiling at the thought of his lovely princess.

06.06.2006. – 1:02 am

I'm finally getting married today! Can you believe it? I know I can't! It's like this entire year flew by so quickly. First with our graduations, then with the wedding moved up, everything has been a whirlwind. To be honest, I'm so nervous, but I'm not going to tell anyone because then I'll never hear the end of it! LoL. Anyways, I think I've stayed up far too long, so I should try to catch some sleep while I still can. It would not be a pretty picture if I had bags under my eyes on my own wedding day. I won't post pictures until I get back from my honeymoon, so bear with me until then. Wish me luck! (^ . ~)-sere

06.21.2006. – 12:45 pm

As promised, here are the pictures! It was a lovely ceremony and the honeymoon was fantastic. I'm not going to write much because I got sick half way through the trip, so I will be catching up on some much needed rest. Enjoy!-sere

-5 photos uploaded-

'How could I not remember our wedding day?' he thought, balling his fist up tightly. It killed him that so much had happened and he had not mentally experienced any of those precious moments with Serenity himself. 'So Jeff got to live through all the joys that I missed out on, and now instead of trying to make up for that lost time with Serenity, I run away,' he said to himself, shaking his head incredulously. 'I'm such a coward,' he thought bitterly. Scrolling through the wedding pictures and onto the next entry, he came across an announcement in all bolded caps.

06.22.2006. – 5:00 pm

Guess what?! I'm going to have a **BABY**!! Jeff took me to the doctor after my little nap yesterday and it turns out that I'm pregnant, that's why I was having all that nausea during out honeymoon. I still can't believe it myself, but I'm also super excited. Our own little tike running around!! Hopefully, whether it's a boy or a girl, I hope he/she has Jeff's eyes. I melt every time I look into them. Now I need to start thinking of baby names. (^ . ^)-sere

'Now it all makes sense!' thought Solaris as he recalled the little boy in Serenity's arms that looked like a younger version of him, with light brown tresses and Serenity's pouty lips. 'What am I going to do?' he sighed, sitting back and staring at the images of the sonogram Serenity had attached to the last entry. His own son and he could not even remember bedding his own wife. The very thought of it shook him to the very core, but what made matters worse, was that he had no idea how this was all even possible in the first place. 'Where is Trista when you need her the most?' he wondered, raking a hand through his hair tiredly.

'I was wondering when you'd start deliberating about your current life,' interrupted Trista in Solaris' head, startling him in his seat, earning a weird look from all the guys. "Sorry, dozed off," said Sol sheepishly, hoping that his lie was believable. The guys shrugged and went on with their current discussion.

'What are you doing interrupting a person's thought without a warning before hand?!' Sol thought angrily, holding on the laptop tightly, afraid he might let it slip the next time he was startled. 'Where in heaven's name have you been all this time? I've been sitting around like a lost puppy for days!' stated Solaris angrily.

'My apologies for the delay Prince Solaris. I do have my own life to tend to as well, not just time line duties,' replied Trista sarcastically. 'You know, your current self wasn't this rude,' she added just to spite Solaris' snappy response.

'Well, it's not exactly a good thing to wake up to an entirely different timeline that just moved on without you,' he argued. 'Not like I asked to come back to this!' he retorted, forgetting that Trista was still listening to him. 'Crap' he muttered after he realized his slip.

'Well I could always knock you over the head with my staff and give you amnesia again,' snapped Trista, appearing in his mind for him to see her wielding her time staff. 'It'll hurt, but at least then you won't be giving my princess such heartaches!' she stated angrily.

'What is wrong with me Trista? It's not like I want to hurt Serenity, I just don't know what's real and what's not anymore,' asked Solaris in a defeated tone. Things were beginning to take its toll on him and his head hurt like crazy the more he tried to sort out his thoughts.

'I understand the strain this is putting on you, but all I can say is that it takes time for your mindset to readjust to the changes. Try to relax and let the memories comes to you on their own,' explained Trista sympathetically. 'The more you push yourself, the more you'll reject them,' she added with a grim expression on her face.

'You're right, I just need to unwind and let it come to me naturally,' agreed Solaris just before a yawn escaped his lips. 'I guess I'm more burnt out than I thought,' he laughed.

'Get some rest then. I will come back if you need any guidance,' replied Trista before she faded away and sleep overtook him. 'Sleep well your highness,' she thought, reappearing before the time gates. "Only time can fix this," she whispered, waving her staff and entering the large double doors back into the timeline.

So as Trista had suggested, Solaris decided to give it a rest and just let everything run its natural path. The guys got situated in their vacation home nestled close to John Hopkins Hospital where Solaris began his treatment program shortly afterwards.

Somewhere in the midst of things, Nick and the other guys met up with Mike to discuss things since Solaris was making no progress with his recovery whatsoever. After two months, the announcement was made public, 98 degrees had officially disbanded.

While the boys were trying to gather their lives together, the girls were leisurely assisting Sera with her newfound passion. The publishing company loved her short story and had insisted upon it being extended into a full blown story, which she happily accepted. As the months went on, her stomach began to show and she became enraptured with the plot. The girls helped Sera as much as they could because in their minds, they knew that it was a blessing that she had found something to get her mind off of Jeff and her broken marriage.

– The Guys –

"Have you called Lena and let her know of the news yet?" asked Drew as he sipped on his latte and stared out at the ocean view. The guys were all waiting for Solaris to return from his treatment session and were discussing updates from the girls.

"Yeah, I called her yesterday evening before the news made headline," answered Nick solemnly. Things had been rough for him these last two and a half months, he wanted to see Lena and just hold her in his arms. The situation with Solaris and Sera had gotten extremely out of hand. 'I shouldn't be complaining when she has it so much worse,' he thought, snapping out of his thoughts.

"So that's why Kaye called me all frantic early this morning," replied Drew quietly. He had gotten an extremely early morning wake up call from her that was full of questions that he had no idea on how to even reply, so he had done the next best thing, mumbled a yes and said he'd call her back later before hanging up. "Boy am I in for it now," he mumbled, pulling out his cell and holding down on Kaye's speed dial number.

"Have fun," laughed Justin as he came out just as Drew had muttered the last part. "I just got done talking to Nina, she's not a happy camper either, but at least I texted her," he added just before plopping down in the same chair that Drew had just vacated.

"Dude, how was I supposed to know that they wouldn't all tell each other? I thought Lena would just let the rest of the girls know," argued Drew defensively. "Man, this blows," he exclaimed, walking back into the house when Kaye had picked up.

"So I guess all the girls know already, but who told Sera?" asked Justin quietly.

"I'm not sure, but I left that for Lena to decide," answered Nick grimly. "I just hope they told her before she saw the news," he added, finishing off the rest of his coffee before hopping off from his perch on the patio railing. "I honestly don't know what Sol is thinking anymore," he said in a quiet voice, more to himself than to Justin.

– John Hopkins –

"Well Mr. Timmons, it looks like you've completed the first portion of our sessions. How do you feel? Perhaps you can give me some insight on new methods I could pursue if you feel like nothing has changed," spoke Dr. Jones as soon as he entered the room.

"I think I'm going to give up asking you to call me Sol instead of Mr. Timmons," replied Solaris mockingly. In the short period that Dr. Mikal Jones had been treating him, they had grown quite close with one another. It was as if he had a new confidant to share his woes.

"Now you know how I am about professionalism within the work place," laughed Mikal as he closed the patient file. "But on to more important matters. I'm showing some significant changes on your scans from last week. Were there abnormalities that you've experienced these past few days?" he asked, getting straight to business.

"To be honest, I've been having dreams. Or maybe they're memories that are slowly coming back to me, but they headaches have seemed to disappeared with each new dream," said Solaris, happy for once. After the talk with Trista, things had run its course and he finally fell into a comfort level that he could handle. The headaches slowly diminished and his attitude lightened as the days passed by.

"That's terrific! I'm glad you're progressing so well," replied Mikal, eager to hear more about the dreams Jeff was referring to. "Perhaps these dreams will help break us through the barrier that is blocking your memories," he added, flipping through the file once more and jotting down random notes of changes.

"They've cleared up a lot of questions I've had ever since I woke up. The guys and I talk about the past a lot now a days, it helps me adapt to my lifestyle a lot better," admitted Solaris, glad that things were slowly returning to the way they should be. 'Perhaps soon, I can go back to my family,' he thought, longing to see Serenity's smiling face. 'I've missed so much of my only child's life already though,' he recalled, frowning a bit.

"I think it's okay to say that you should call your family now," interrupted Mikal when he noticed the sad expression on Jeff's face. He reached over and grasped Jeff's hand firmly to give him courage before slipping a cell phone into his open palm.

– The Girls –

"Sera, the editors called and asked you to call them back a.s.a.p.!" called out Nina from the office just as I entered the penthouse with grocery bags in both arms. Things had been hectic these past two months, which I welcomed with open arms. It helped me keep my mind off of Jeff and was a form of release for all my pent up emotions.

"Thanks!" I replied, heading to the kitchen to drop off the bags. "Hey Kaye," I greeted in a hushed tone when I overheard her on the phone.

"Why didn't you tell me?!" asked Kaye furiously, which startled me. Arguments over the phone were the worst thing to witness, so I hurried out of there as fast as I could.

"Don't mind me," I added before turning to leave. "Hi Drew!" I called out as I left Kaye standing there still fussing. Inwardly I felt sorry for the guy, he probably wasn't even paying attention to a word she was saying considering the time difference.

"Wait Sera!" called out Kaye, rounding the corner after me. I stopped and looked at her inquisitively, wondering what was so important that she'd hang up on Drew so suddenly. "You should take a look at this," she stated, handing me a sheet of paper.

Lena_

Hey babe,

Just wanted to give you a heads up before you saw it on the news in the morning.

The band decided to break up, it'll be officially announced tomorrow. Let Sera know.

Sorry to leave you to be the bearer of bad news. I wish I could tell her myself.

I'll call you when it dies down. It'll be crazy for quite a while. Love you.

-Nick

Nick_ sent at 8:45 pm on Wednesday, June 03, 2008

"What is this?" I asked, not believing my eyes. 'This must be some sick joke,' I thought incredulously. This statement meant that Jeff was never coming back, that I had lost my husband to a memory from a millennia ago. So many thoughts swirled through my mind that I started to waver. The last thing I heard was…

"Sera!" Kaye cried out as my eyes rolled back and I gave in to the darkness that called out to me and tumbled to the floor.

– POV change –

"Oh my God! Someone call 9-1-1 quick!" yelled Kaye as she reached Sera's side and lifted her head off the ground. "Sera wake up! Please," she cried, cradling Sera gently in her arms as the girls started piling into the hallway.

"What the hell happened?!" cried Nina as she saw the sight before her. Flipping out her cell phone, she dialed 9-1-1 and ran off to let the operator know of the situation.

"What's going on Kaye?" asked Lillian, kneeling down to check Sera's body.

"I don't know.. I just gave her the e-mail," cried Kaye, still rocking Sera back and forth gently as tears streamed down her face. "This is all my fault," she said hysterically.

"No, it's not your fault. Don't blame yourself," interrupted Lena finally. She had been so shocked at the sight before her that she had just stood there stunned.

"Okay, the ambulance is on there way now!" announced Nina hastily as she came back to see the girls all huddled around Sera on the floor. "Is she bleeding anywhere?" she asked.

"I don't think so," answered Lillian quietly, looking around to see.

"Oh my God, do you think the baby is okay?!" asked Kaye, crying even louder now.

"Stop it! This won't get us anywhere," Lena snapped at Kaye. "We need to think calmly to make sure she's okay," she added, lifting Sera's body out of Kaye's grasp and setting her head onto a pillow that Lillian gave her.

Minutes later, an ambulance arrived with two paramedics, loading her on the gurney after checking her vitals. The girls all huddled in the background, anxiously awaiting some sort of update on how she was doing.

"How far along is she?" asked one of the paramedics, turning to look at the group.

"A little over 18 weeks," answered Lena after calculating it in her head for a bit and double checking herself just to be sure.

"Okay, so who will be riding with her?" he asked, continuing to write down all the info the doctors would need later. "Don't worry, it just looks like a mild concussion, she'll be fine," he reassured the girls after noticing their worried looks.

"Oh thank heavens," replied Nina, letting out the breath she didn't realize she was holding. "I guess Lena will go with her and we'll meet you guys there," she answered after nobody had responded to the guy.

"Alright, we'll get her loaded onto the truck first. Please come down quickly," the other paramedic spoke up as he finished strapping Sera onto the gurney.

"I'll just follow you guys down," said Lena, finally snapping out of her daze. "Lillian, will you get Brandon and take him with you please?" she asked, grabbing Sera's bag as well as her own on the way out.

They arrived at the hospital within minutes and Lena was stuck filling out paperwork while Sera was wheeled back into the examining room. Once she was done, she was informed that the doctor was still running tests on Sera and that they would let her know once the doctor was ready to speak with her.

"Dr. Leila Jenkins to E.R., paging Dr. Leila Jenkins to E.R." came a loud announcement over the intercom, startling Lena. Just as she was beginning to freak out, the girls all showed up asking her about Sera's condition.

"Don't know yet, nobody has even come out to speak to me," stated Lena. "They just paged Leila too," she added worriedly, biting her nails as she stared at the E.R. doors.

– Examining Room –

"Sorry, I was held up with another patient. What's the problem?" asked Leila after apologizing for her delayed arrival. She looked over to the table to see Sera lying unconscious. "What happened?" she asked, rushing over to check the monitor.

"Apparently she fainted and hit her head on a kitchen counter," answered the nurse, flipping through the chart the paramedic had given her. "Looks like she's one of your patients too," the girl added, pulling out another chart that was stuck behind the clipboard.

"Yeah, she's 19 weeks into her pregnancy so I'm gonna need an ultrasound," instructed Leila, emphasizing the urgency behind her request. Not even a second later, another nurse rolled in an ultrasound machine.

"Heart sounds good. Did you want to take a look Dr. Jenkins?" asked the nurse after she jotted down all the vitals for the baby and flipped on the monitor.

"Yeah, I need to do a thorough check," answered Leila after feeling the bump on Sera's head. Luckily there was no bleeding so that meant that the concussion couldn't have been too bad from the fall.

"Ugh.. What happened?" moaned Sera as she finally came to, feeling like she had been struck by an 18-wheeler. "Oh God, the baby!" she cried, clutching her stomach frantically.

"Shh.. It's okay Sera, the baby is fine," Leila answered over the heart monitor's loud beeping as she pushed a few stray hairs away from Sera's sweat matted face.

"My head hurts though," complained Sera, reaching up to feel the bump on her head and wincing in pain. "Where am I?" she asked, finally realizing she wasn't at the penthouse.

"You're in the emergency room. They brought you in because you fainted and took a bad fall," explained Leila trying to calm her down. The monitors were going haywire because of the increase in her heart rate. "I just need you to calm down for now, it's bad to stress the baby out in your current state," she added with concern.

"Where are the girls?" Sera asked, suddenly realizing that none of the girls were there. "I'm surprised they haven't broken down the door yet," she half laughed.

"They're still in the waiting room. I didn't want them back here fussing over me while I checked on you and the baby," replied Leila quietly. "Before I let them in to see you, I need to make sure you're in the right state of mind first. Was there a reason why you fainted?" she asked in a concerned tone.

"Jeff… I don't think he's ever coming back to me," cried Sera as the contents in Nick's e-mail all came rushing back to her. The sobs came louder and harder, and pretty soon, she was beginning to show signs of hyperventilating.

"Sera! Calm down, take deep breaths, you're cutting off oxygen to the baby," instructed Leila loudly over Sera's hysterical crying. She reached for an oxygen mask and placed it around Sera's mouth before turning the knob and checking the monitor for any changes.

"I can't breathe," moaned Sera in between gasping for air. After that, Leila decided she needed to sedate the girl before her baby suffered brain damage from lack of oxygen.

– Hospital Lobby –

"What's taking so long?!" yelled Nina in frustration as she shot out of her seat and began pacing back and forth in the lobby.

"There is no point being mad Nina, it's not going to speed things up," pointed out Lillian as she rubbed her hand up and down Brandon's back to soothe him. "The more you show it, the more upset Brandon will get," she added quietly.

"It's all my fault," Kaye finally spoke up, still sniffling from her seat beside Lena. "I'm sorry sweetheart," she whispered, reaching over and cupping his cheeks in her hand gently. Ever since they had gotten there, Brandon had been wailing nonstop, somewhat sensing the negative vibe amongst his aunties.

"Hey girls," greeted Leila tiredly after spotting the girls seated just outside the double doors. "Sorry for taking so long to get out here, I was handling some issues with Sera," she explained, walking over towards Lena.

"Is she going to be okay?" Lena asked the moment Leila sat down beside her.

"She was awake for a bit, but I had to sedate her because she wasn't taking in enough oxygen for the baby," Leila told the girls straightforward. "She said something about Jeff before she started hyperventilating. What exactly is going on here?" she asked, not noticing the sudden change in their expressions.

"I'm sure you've heard by now that Jeff has a case of amnesia," answered Lena after a while. She continued to explain the situation after Leila nodded, "Well, he and the boy left for the states to get treated at John Hopkins two months ago without a words to any of us."

"Oh my…" gasped Leila, suddenly feeling sorry for Sera. 'No wonder she's under so much stress. I'm amazed she even lasted this long,' she thought.

"Anyways, I got this e-mail from Nick last night," continued Lena, handing Leila the e-mail she had printed out for the girls to read. "It looks like Jeff isn't remembering anything at all so they had to dissolve the group," she explained.

"There is no other treatment or therapy for him to try?" asked Leila quietly, still not believing what she was hearing. Jeff and Sera were the epitome of a happy couple, so it was hard to believe that everything they had could disappear just over night.

"They've been through all sorts of alternatives for the past two months. It's pretty much hopeless now," replied Nina before Lena could further explain.

"Regardless of the issue at hand, we need to concentrate on Sera and the baby right now," came Leila's response after a moment of silence passed amongst them. "If things continue the way they are now, I'm afraid she'll have a miscarriage," she added, igniting a series of gasps from all the girls. Just then her pager went off and after glancing down at the message, Leila took off without another word.

"What's going on?!" asked Lena worriedly.

"Emergency in Sera's room!" called out Leila over her shoulders. The girls all rushed after her only to be stopped at the door. "Sorry, you can't come in when she's unstable. I'll let you know the moment the stabilizes," she explained, swiping her ID card through the scanner and hurried down the hallway after the doors closed behind her.

– Sera –

'What is going on here?' I thought, waking up to an unbearable headache and finding myself hooked up to several monitors. "Oh yeah, I'm at the hospital," I mumbled, looking around to see if a nurse or Leila was in the room. 'Great,' I groaned inwardly. Reaching over I pulled on the red emergency cord to get a nurse to come check on me immediately.

"Is everything alright Mrs. Timmons?" asked a nurse not even half a minute later, huffing from her brief sprint to my room.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to worry you. Where is Dr. Jenkins?" I asked apologetically.

"She's outside with your family members I believe," answered the nurse, coming in to check the monitors and my IV. "Are you in any pain?" she asked, flipping through my chart briefly as she eyed the screens besides me.

"Actually, I'm having really bad cramps. Is she coming back anytime soon?" I said, placing a hand on my stomach as another wave of cramps hits me. 'Holy Hell,' I cried, wincing as she wracked my body.

"I got the page, everything okay?" asked Leila as she came barging into the room, startling me slightly. I closed my eyes, trying to ride out the pain as she came over to check on me. "Something bothering you Sera?" she asked, noticing my fist balled around the sheets.

"It hurts!" I cried, tearing up as another pang hit me hard. I felt the baby kick suddenly, which almost jerked me over the edge of the hospital bed. The monitors started to beep wildly as my heart rate increased suddenly.

"Get some help, I need to stabilize her or we'll lose the baby!" instructed Leila, placing her hand on my stomach and feeling my sides gently. "Where does it hurt?" she asked worriedly as I continued to cry out in pain.

"My baby!" I gasped; writhing in pain as I clutched my stomach and prayed to God everything would turn out all right. I noticed Leila and some nurses hovering over me just as I passed out once again.

– Outside –

"Calling all free nurses to E.R. #7, calling all free nurses to E.R. #7," interrupted the announcement, startling the girls from their daze.

"Isn't that Sera's room?" asked Kaye nervously. She eyed the girls in hopes that she was mistaken, but realized she was right when all the girls turned ghostly pale.

"Why won't they tell us what's going on in there?!" yelled Lena angrily, casing Brandon to erupt into another fit of cries from her sudden outburst.

"Stop scaring the poor thing. It's bad enough his mother is in there in pain, we don't need him getting sick from all his crying as well," scolded Lillian, brushing his hair and rocking him gently in her arms to quiet his wailing.

– Sera –

"Sera? Can you hear me?" I heard Leila calling out to me as a bright light blinded my vision when I came to. She was checking my eyes when I had awoke from my fainting spell. "Oh thank God," she breathed a sigh of relief and stepped back to give me some air.

"I can't do this anymore," I uttered, rolling onto my side and wrapping my arms around my unborn child protectively. "I'm done," I whispered as tears streaked down my face. I knew all this stress was bad for the baby, but I couldn't help but cry harder. "He's not coming back to us," I finally admitted to myself, feeling Leila rub my back softly.

"Try not to overexert yourself Sera. I don't want you to lose this baby," whispered Leila as she continued to stroke my back. I took deep breaths and tried to calm myself, closing my eyes and wiping the tears on my face, I turned to look at her.

"I need you to do me a favor," I pleaded trying to hold up a strong façade. This was going to be the hardest thing I have ever done, but sometimes one must surrender when things are beyond their control.

"Sure, anything you want," came Leila naïve reply. I took both her hands in mind and gripped them tightly before I explained the details to her. I saw the shocked look in her eyes and I finished telling her what I needed her to help me with and felt bad for dragging her into this but it was the only way. "I hope you know what you're doing," she told me quietly as she headed towards the door and shut it quietly behind her.

– Outside –

"Leila!" called out Lena anxiously when she saw her exit the double doors. Fear washed over her as she noticed the slow pace the doctor was moving in. "What happened?" she asked nervously, not wanting to hear but also dying to find out.

"I'm sorry, I did everything I could," explained Leila in a firm professional voice. She had perfected this tone over the years, having to go through the burden of explaining to couples that they would not be welcoming a new addition to their families.

"No!" cried Kaye, turning away from the group and covering her cries with her hand as the sobs wracked her body. The girls all looked down and shook their heads unbelieving.

"She was under so much stress and the lack of oxygen put such a strain on the baby that she started to cramp from hyperventilating so much. I'm afraid she lost the baby," explained Leila, looking around at all the saddened faces. She knew it was wrong to lie to the, but Sera had pleaded with her, saying that this was the only way that she could find an escape without burdening the girls any further.

"Can we go see her?" asked Nina, wiping the tears from her face.

"I'm afraid she requested to be left alone," answered Leila grimly. This was the second part of Sera's request. She couldn't grasp the concept as to why Sera would want to suffer through this alone, but she respected her enough to grant her request.

"What do you mean she wants to be left alone? We're her family!" cried Lena, upset that she couldn't console her sister in her time of need.

"Sera told me to tell you girls to go home. I think you should do as she asks, we don't want to further upset her considering her state of mind," replied Leila quietly. "She does want Brandon to stay with her though," she added, remembering that she had to bring the toddler to his mother before letting the girls go on their way.

"She can't take care of him in her current state. We'll take him home with us," came Stacy response suddenly. Throughout the entire ordeal, she had been lost as to how to act or feel, so she just sat in the background while it all went on before her. But now she was stepping up and putting her foot down. A hospital was no place for a toddler, especially when his mother was unable to care for him.

"He'll be fine. I'll have a nurse watch over them both for the rest of the night," Leila told the girls, holding her arms out for the child. "I want Sera comfortable, and she specifically asked me to bring Brandon to her, so I'm going to do just that," she stated firmly.

The girls all nodded in agreement and Lillian placed Brandon into Leila's arms before kissing the top of his head. They all asked Leila to call them the moment anything changed and thanks her for taking care of Sera before heading home.

– Sera –

'I can't believe I'm doing this,' I muttered to myself as I wracked my brain trying to think of the right way to put my thoughts down. Just then, Leila came back into my room with Brandon in her arms. My heart pinched at the sight of my son, knowing how much losing his father would affect him. "Hi baby," I cooed as Leila sat him down on the bed beside me.

"I have never had to lie to a family before. I hope you know what you are getting yourself into Sera," Leila told me exasperatedly. She sighed and shook her head as she went back to checking the monitors for any changes.

"I do. It's the only way they'll carry on with their own lives instead of taking care of me every waking moment," I answered sadly. "I don't want them to put their lives on hold just because mine is falling apart," I added, feeling guilty for doing this to the girls, but knowing that I had no other choice. I reached over and grabbed the pen and notepad a nurse had just given me right before Leila returned.

"I'm going to go check your test results real quick. Take your time, I'll be back later," said Leila, noticing notepad in my hand. As soon as she left, I tucked Brandon in bed beside me and forced myself to write a letter that I knew would break their hearts.

Dear Girls,

By the time you get this, I'll have been long gone with Brandon. I know what you are all probably thinking, and I'm sorry that I had to do this to you all. Please forgive me for leaving without saying goodbye. This entire ordeal is just too much for me to handle and the stress has slowly consumed my soul. I just need to get away and try to forget as much of it as possible. I'll contact you girls once I sort out my thoughts. Please carry on with your lives because I know you have been putting it on hold on my account, which has filled my heart with not only guilt but grief as well. I love you all very much and want you girls to have a chance at happiness as well. So please return to the states and finish what you were going to do before I came into your life, if not for yourselves, do it for me. I beg of you.

All My Love,

Sera Jacobs

After sealing the envelope, I set it aside to give to Leila later on. Closing my eyes, I let a few stray tears roll down my face as I thought of my nearest and dearest friends. I prayed they would forgive me for this act and that we could pick up where we left off some day after I had get over my heartache. After an hour-long nap, I paged for a nurse and asked her to prepare my discharge papers so that Leila could sign off on them.

"I appreciate you doing this for me," I whispered, looping my arm through my bag that Leila had luckily gotten from the girls along with Brandon's baby bag. I handed her the letter and picked Brandon up into my arms. "Give this to them tomorrow morning when they get here. I should be out of the city by then," I instructed her, pulling out my cell to call someone.

"Take care of yourself. Please call me if you need assistance with anything," Leila told me, grabbing my hand and holding it firmly. I smiled at her before turning and getting into the taxi she had called for me.

"I'll be in touch," I told her, smiling as she shut the door after handing Brandon back to me. The person on the other end picked up and I waved quickly before the cab took off. "Hey, I have a favor to ask you," I spoke into my cell quietly, holding Brandon in my lap tightly.

~*A.N*~

There you have it, part one of my ending to No Turning Back. Hope you all like it because I've spent a lot of time working on this cliffy. I'll wrap up all loose ends in the next and final chapter to this story. R & R please!


	21. Twenty Part II

~*Part II – Finale*~

– Recap –

"I appreciate you doing this for me," I whispered, looping my arm through my bag that Leila had luckily gotten from the girls along with Brandon's baby bag. I handed her the letter and picked Brandon up into my arms. "Give this to them tomorrow morning when they get here. I should be out of the city by then," I instructed her, pulling out my cell to call someone.

"Take care of yourself. Please call me if you need assistance with anything," Leila told me, grabbing my hand and holding it firmly. I smiled at her before turning and getting into the taxi she had called for me.

"I'll be in touch," I told her, smiling as she shut the door after handing Brandon back to me. The person on the other end picked up and I waved quickly before the cab took off. "Hey, I have a favor to ask you," I spoke into my cell quietly, holding Brandon in my lap tightly.

– Presently –

"Hey do you remember that villa we used every summer?" I asked as the cab made its way down the hill out to the main road. Staring over at Brandon, I played with his tresses and leaned over to place a kiss on the top of his head.

"Of course I remember Sere! We went every summer," answered the voice on the other end of the line, seeming to reminisce all the times they shared together.

"Well, could you by any chance get the keys from your mother for me?" I asked quickly. "I would really appreciate it if you could help me out Mina," I pleaded, hoping she would grasp the urgency of the situation.

"Is everything okay girl?" asked Mina worriedly. I smiled, thanking God for having such loving and concerned friends in my life. If only I didn't keep on abandoning them.

"No Minz, everything is a mess," I answered, finally breaking down into a quite sob. Brandon looked up when he heard my cries, and turned to touch my face as the tears made their way down my face. I smiled and held onto him tightly.

"You don't have to explain if it's too hard on you, I understand," replied Mina, unsure of how to console me. "Did you want me to meet you there?" she asked, trying to change the topic to get rid of the awkward atmosphere that was looming over us.

"Yes, that would be great," I answered tiredly, jotting down the address and handing it to the cab driver before hanging up with Mina.

Mina arrived moments after I had at her mother's summer vacation villa located on the outskirts of town near a mountain resort. I explained the situation and she invited the girls over so they could help us clean out the villa and get me settled in. I was thankful they didn't push the issue and ask any questions because I wasn't ready to go into detail about the entire ordeal.

"Well, we should head back now. Give us a call if you need anything," said Lita, wiping her hands with a towel as she finished setting up the kitchen. Amy had organized the library and brought me a spare laptop for me to use so I could work on my book. Raye and Mina took it upon themselves to take care of my bedroom and wardrobe, seeing as how I had left without any of my own clothes let alone Brandon's wardrobe.

"Thanks girls, I appreciate it," I said in response, taking a look around at my new home for the time being. It was very warm and welcoming, which would help lift my spirits a bit. "I don't know what I'd do with you girls," I added, hugging each one of them tightly.

So the girls left and I tucked Brandon into bed since it had been a long day for the both of us and I was beginning to show signs of fatigue as well. The last thought in my head was how Lena and the girls would react in the morning when they got my letter. I prayed they wouldn't be too upset with me, but it truly was the only option I had left. I didn't want them to feel obligated to protect me from the hardships of life because they deserved so much more than that.

– Next Day –

"You think Sere is ready to come home today?" asked Lillian looking at all the girls hesitantly to see their replies. It had been a long night for the entire group and they were all itching to be with Sera in her greatest time of need.

"I don't think they'd release her so quickly after having a miscarriage so far into her pregnancy," answered Nina contemplatively, thinking that there were probably a number of tests that the hospital needed to run after a situation like this.

"God, I can't imagine how hurt she is right now. I mean, we were all looking forward to the baby," spoke up Stacy, smiling sadly as she thought back to all the shopping they had done to prepare the baby's nursery.

"She was only a week away from finding out the baby's gender," said Lena in a defeated tone. She had stayed up all night crying over her sister's loss. Especially since there was nothing she could have done to prevent it from happening. "I can't believe the baby is gone," she uttered, still not believing the turn of events.

"Yeah I know, it's all surreal," Kaye finally spoke up. Just as the all approached the nurses' station, Leila Jenkins rounded the girls and spotted them. "Hi Dr. Jenkins, we're here to see Sera. Is she feeling better?" she asked quietly.

"Oh hello girls, I was just on my way up here to see if you had come in or not yet," explained Leila as she picked up her patient charts from the nurses at the counter. "I actually need to speak with you all privately," she added while flipping through her files briefly.

"What is it? Please tell me everything is okay," asked Lena nervously.

"No she's fine," answered Leila quietly. She tucked her new charts under her older ones and pulled out and envelope from her coat. "Sera asked me to give this to you girls," she said, handing the letter to Lena. "I'm afraid I need to get back to work. Sorry girls," she explained quickly, leaving the girls at the counter. She sighed heavily, knowing that they would all be devastated once they discovered the contents within.

"Wait! What is this?!" called out Kaye frantically, looking back and forth between Lena and Dr. Jenkins. "I don't get it. What's going on?" she asked quietly.

"What are you waiting for? Read the damn thing already!" cried Nina angrily.

"Maybe there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for all this crap," snapped Stacy.

"Lets take this home so we don't wreak havoc here," replied Lena in a serious tone and she turned and headed towards the entrance. She was already out the doors before any of the girls had realized what she had said.

"Wait for us!" called out Nina as she hurried out the door after Lena. The other girls followed suit and everyone got in their cars and headed back to the penthouse. Once inside, they all settled around the dining table as Lena read the letter out loud. Sure enough, as soon as the reality of the letter hit the girls, they were all in tears.

"I don't get it. Why would she just up and leave all of a sudden?" said Lena in disbelief. "Things were fine. There was never any animosity between us. So what's this nonsense about an obligation?!" she cried incredulously.

"Maybe she's been feeling this way all along, but just never said anything because she knew how much we wanted to be here for her," suggested Kaye quietly.

"So what, now that the baby is gone, she thinks we won't want to be here for her?" bit Nina defensively. "That's bull," she mumbled bitterly.

"Well, think about is from her standpoint. You've been separated from your boyfriends these past 2 months and I'm pretty sure she's overheard all the phone conversations. I mean, hell, Lillian and I have heard plenty," interrupted Stacy, explaining to the girls. Everyone got quiet, as if realization had dawned on them.

"Wow, I never thought about it like that. It must've made her feel so guilty," whispered Kaye, feeling bad for putting Sera through such anguish.

"Yeah, but I'm sure she knew it wasn't intentional," argued Nina, hoping to justify their actions so it wouldn't look as bad. Not that it made any difference now, Sera was gone, and nothing they said or did would change what had happened.

"Is there really no way to find her?" asked Lillian trying to be positive, even though she knew without a doubt, that Sera would not be found if she did not want to be.

"Did you even have to ask? I mean, look what happened with Sera and the other girls before we met her," pointed out Stacy.

"Yeah, but that was because it was just her back then. Imagine how difficult it is now with Brandon too," said Kaye, thinking of a possible slip up Sera might make.

"I doubt it, if I know my sister, I know she'll go out of her way to make things happen," interrupted Lena after setting the letter aside. "We need to let the guys know. They'll want to look for her as well. And I need to have a long discussion with my ignorant brother," she stated flatly, getting up and heading towards her bedroom.

– Sera –

I'll admit I was a little disoriented when I woke up, but that all changed when the shrill of my phone jolted me from my thoughts. Looking over at the clock, I noticed that it was already 8 o'clock in the morning. Grabbing my phone, I tightened my robe around me before reaching over and grabbing my cell off the night stand.

"Hello?" I answered after clearing my throat, but still sounded somewhat groggy.

"Hi, Mrs. Timmons?" greeted a gentleman on the other end.

"Yes, this is she. May I ask who this is?" I replied, curious as to who would call me first thing in the morning. I sat up and put on my slippers before heading over to Brandon's room so I could check on him.

"I apologize for calling so early. I'm Sato Kusanagi from Nippon Jitsugyo Publishing Company, Keiko Asahi's personal assistant," explained the man in a hurried voice.

"It's no problem at all. I should've been up an hour ago," I told him as I peeked into Brandon's room to see if he was up or not. I went downstairs to get started on breakfast for my little man after I saw that he was still sleeping.

"… Mrs. Timmons?" called out Sato, snapping me out of my thoughts as I reached for the handle on the refrigerator.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I didn't catch that. What were you saying again?" I apologized sheepishly. Deciding against starting breakfast, I sat myself down at the island counter to give him my undivided attention.

"Well, Keiko asked me to see if I could get a copy of your rough draft so she could look over. Would it be possible for me to meet you somewhere or even stop by and pick it up?" asked Sato after clearing his throat.

"Well... I'm still in the process of getting situated with the move and all, so I won't be able to stop by the office today. But if you want, I will be running errands around town, so we could meet up somewhere," I explained as I headed over to my office. Looking around for the draft, I spotted the yellow manila envelope under a pile of papers.

"That would be great! I can meet you anywhere you want," said Sato eagerly.

"Okay, then I will shoot you an e-mail when I leave to run errands," I told him, tucking the envelope under my arm as I closed the door behind me. "I need to get started on breakfast for me son, so I'll see you later okay?" I added, hanging up after he gave me his contact information so I could reach him later when I went out.

After breakfast was done, I went upstairs and set out an outfit to wear before checking on Brandon once again. Sure enough, he was up and waiting for me. I got ready before setting him in his playpen and heading off to change into my outfit and work on hair and make-up. After I finished, I reheated out breakfast and Brandon played with his food while I checked e-mails.

"Are you ready to go exploring?" I asked, tickling my son as I wiped his hands. He giggled in response and held out his arms for me, eager to go outside and play.

After settling him into his car seat and double checking I had everything, we set out in the hybrid Mina lent me. There was no way I could go back and get my own car, and leasing or even purchasing one would leave a paper trail, so I could not refuse the offer when Mina left the keys in an envelope with a long note attached. After I found my way around town, Brandon and I picked up a few necessities before I shot Sato an e-mail.

"Thanks for meeting up with me. Keiko would've had my head on a silver platter if I didn't get these to her for proofing this week," said Sato appreciatively as he placed the envelope containing my draft into his briefcase. "Were you two grabbing a quick snack?" he asked before accepting the cookie Brandon offered to him excitedly.

"Yes, just took care of some errands," I answered, taking a sip of my coffee. "Will you be heading back to the office after this?" I asked curiously, setting my cup down to wipe the crumbs off Brandon's face.

"I wanted to get this back to Keiko before she leaves for the day," came Sato's reply almost immediately after I had asked him. He smiled sheepishly after realizing how hasty his answer had sounded.

"Don't fret. I was just wondering if you wanted to join us while we explored the rest of the town," I said, laughing as Brandon blew bubbles at me.

"Would you like me to give you a brief tour since you're new to the area?" asked Sato eagerly. "I could just drop off these documents and we could be on our way," he added.

"Are you sure that would be a good idea? I don't want Keiko lecturing you about spending leisure time during work hours," I replied hesitantly.

"It'll be fine. As a client, I should help you out in any way that I can," answered Sato, laughing after I gave him a funny look. "Ok, so maybe not to that extent. But it really would be my pleasure though," he said in a more serious tone.

"Okay, if you insist, then I will obligingly accept your offer," I told him, smiling at the goofy look on his face after he heard my response. Brandon held out his arms for me, so Sato helped me grab my bags while I got Brandon out of the highchair. "So which place would you suggest to get my creative thoughts flowing?" I turned back and asked him jokingly.

"Actually, there is a lovely little spot I discovered a short while ago!" answered Sato from behind me, trying to catch up with us. "It's a quaint little garden hidden within the rose maze nearby," he said, pointing across the street where I noticed a park.

"That sounds lovely. Can we take a peek?" I asked, surprised that such a place would remain hidden from public. We crossed the street and walked around to the back of the rose maze where a small fountain stood in front of bush. I watched as Sato disappeared behind the hedge wall, wondering where the opening was located.

"Back here!" called out Sato, sticking his hand out to wave at me. I slowly slid my way through the path, holding Brandon close to me so he wouldn't get scratched. "Beautiful isn't it?" he asked, spinning around the garden after I came into view.

"Oh…" I whispered in awe, staring at the sight before me. A pond sat beside a willow tree on the right side of the garden with a rope swing tied around an extended branch. On the opposite side of the garden, a bench was situated beside a small flower bed underneath another willow tree. "It's exquisite," I uttered, finally able to speak.

"I know. I'm surprised it's been hidden for so long," said Sato, plopping down onto the bench beside the pond. "So I take it you'll be frequenting this place quite often after this?" he added, chuckling when he knew full well that I most likely would be glued to this spot.

"Without a doubt," I answered, laughing as I knelt down to let Brandon play with some ducks at the edge of the pond. I noticed Sato get up to help me but quickly waved him off. I may be 5 months pregnant, but I can still function enough to handle my own son.

"So would you like to see any other places?" asked Sato, laughing when he saw Brandon chase the ducklings around the pond. He listed dozens of hot spots he thought I would like to hang out at and a few places that Brandon might like to visit. After a few moments of enjoying the garden a bit more, I picked Brandon up and we continued our mini tour of the town.

"Thanks so much for showing me around Sato. I appreciate it," I thanked him as he helped me load my bags into the backseat beside Brandon.

"No problem, it was my pleasure," said Sato, shutting the door and making sure it was secure before he came around and held the door out for me. "I'll let you know what Keiko has to say about the script when I hear from her," he added as I got in and started the car.

"Alright, just e-mail me because I hardly ever have my phone on me at home," I told him, shifting the car into gear and driving off after a quick nod and wave. By the time I had gotten back to the villa, Brandon was sound asleep in his car seat. After laying him down in his play pen, I checked my e-mails before getting started on dinner. I plopped in a CD while I saw down in front of my desk with a glass of tea. As I sat back and enjoyed the soft melody of classical music, I logged into my e-mail and noticed a few unread messages.

--Lena_--Sent 3:15 pm on June 4-- Re: Please call me...

--Nina_--Sent 5:00 pm on June 4-- Re: Where are you?

--Kayla_--Sent 6:45 pm on June 4-- Re: Sera??

--Stacy_--Sent 7:50 pm on June 4-- Re: Come home...

--Leila_--Sent 6:30 am on June 5-- Re: Urgent...

--Nick_--Sent 7:00 am on June 5-- Re: Confused

--Mina_---Sent 8:10 am on June 5th-- Re: Good Morning =)

I cringed when I noticed the time slots of the e-mails. The girls must've been up all night waiting to hear from me. I couldn't bring myself to read any of the e-mails, so I just left them there and opened the one from Nick. Lena had most likely called him and filled the boys in on the news of my disappearance by now. Setting my tea aside, I mentally prepared myself for an angry e-mail. Nick had enough on his plate with Jeff's amnesia case, but I'm sure my departure would drive him overboard.

Nick's E-mail –

Sera,

What's going on over there? Lena called me in tears just now. I'm worried sick because Lena won't tell me anything. All I know is that something bad happened. Will you please give me a call so we can talk about it? I'll be waiting to hear from you. So please, whatever you do, just call me. Love you.

-Nick

'Sorry Nick,' I thought, feeling extremely guilty for adding more stress to the turmoil. "I should tell him what's going on," I said, sighing as I clicked the reply button.

My E-mail –

Nick,

Hey Nick. How have you been? I hope things are progressing well over there with Jeff. Please don't worry about me. I'm okay. I just had to get away from all the commotion. It's been chaotic and I needed some time to collect my thoughts. Can you tell the girls to stop freaking out? They've bombarded my inbox and I can't find it in myself to even open the e-mails, let alone write them back. I feel really bad for leaving them all of a sudden, but it's for the best. Persuade them to stay with you guys for now. Watch over Jeff for me. Brandon and I miss him lots. So much has happened since the accident. Lena will fill you in on all the details. I need to go now. Take care of yourself. Love you.

-Sera

"God forgive me," I whispered, shaking my head sadly before clicking the send button. I felt the baby move in my stomach as a tear slid its way down my cheek. "I hope you can meet them one day baby," I said as I placed a hand over my tummy. Snapping out of my thoughts and I went back to checking the rest of my e-mails. I couldn't help but smile when I saw Mina's heading. 'Thank God for Mina,' I thought, picking up the tea cup as I read the e-mail.

Mina's E-mail –

Serena,

Hey babes! How do you like the new place? I just thought I'd check up on you. I'm sure you've had a chance to reacquaint yourself with the town again. I remember all the spring breaks and summers we've spent hanging out at the beach there. Good old times! Anyways, I've gotten tons of calls from the girls. Figured you didn't want them knowing your whereabouts so I ignored all of them. What should I do when I run into one of them though? Hopefully I won't have to think about that problem. *knocks on wood* But yeah, getting back to the reason why I e-mailed you. The girls thought we should all have dinner at my place and have a heart to heart. Let me know what you think! We can arrange details later. Later babes!

-Minz

I couldn't help but smile after reading Mina's e-mail. She always seemed to know how to cheer me up without even trying. Dinner with the girls sounded good right about now. I looked down at the time and noticed it was nearing the evening already. Brandon would probably be up soon and expecting something yummy to eat. I called up the girls and they all agreed to come over to my place so I could cook for them.

"Hey Serena, did you ever find out what the baby is going to be?" asked Amy curiously as she prepped a light salad. Mina and Raye were out in the living room playing with Brandon while Amy and Lita helped me finish cooking.

"Oh yeah, you're 5 months along now!" said Lita, turning to look at my already protruding belly. I laughed at her sudden realization and wiped my hands on a towel.

"I had an appointment with Leila today and got the results," I told them, stopping to keep them in suspense for a little while.

"And?!" asked Mina from the entrance of the kitchen with Raye behind her holding Brandon, both staring at me in anticipation.

"How did you two overhear our conversation?" asked Amy, a little surprised.

"Please, Raye has ears of a hawk," retorted Mina, waving her hand at Amy as if it were no big deal. We all burst out laughing as Raye whacked Mina. "Ouch!" she cried, rubbing her head before sitting down at the kitchen counter.

"So what did Dr. Jenkins say?" asked Raye, taking a seat at the dining table with placing Brandon seated on her lap.

"What do you girls think of the names Kaylee and Hayden?" I asked, resisting the urge to laugh while I waited for the info to sink in.

"Wait, why did you pick two different names?" asked Mina, still confused.

"That's because she's having twins Mina!" cried Amy excitedly as she raced over and hugged me. It finally clicked in Lita's head too as she joined us in a group hug.

"Awww, you're going to have a little baby brother and sister now Brandon!" cooed Raye, playing with Brandon as he laughed in response.

"OMG!!" shouted Mina, earning a laugh from all of us. "It's going to be so fun with two babies around!" she added excitedly.

After our tiny moment of joy, we all got back to finishing dinner and sat around to enjoy our meal while we talked. The girls suggested over a dozen other names and talked about buying things to get ready for the twins. I was so busy today that it hadn't really sunk in until now. And even though I should be happy, a part of me was still saddened by it.

"Sere?" called out Mina, waving a hand in front of me.

"Sorry Mina. What were you saying?" I apologized, turning to look at her.

"You look distracted. What's up?" asked Raye quietly.

"I'll put Brandon to bed," offered Amy, taking Brandon out of his high chair and heading upstairs to the nursery. As the girls cleaned up, I grabbed some dessert and drinks for us while we waited for Amy to get back.

"So what's the deal?" asked Mina, breaking the awkward silence after Amy returned.

"Idiot," retorted Raye, rolling her eyes at Mina's tactfulness. "What she meant to say was, "What's the real reason behind all this?" she reiterated.

"I had to let them go. Just because I'm pregnant and my husband doesn't have a clue as to who I am, it doesn't mean the girls are obligated to stay by my side," I stated, trying to keep my composure together.

"It's understandable Serena. But don't stress, you need to think about the babies," Amy pointed out, before leaning over to rub my back soothingly.

"But are you sure the girls didn't want to stay with you? I mean, they were just as devoted to you as they were to Selenity in the past," interrupted Lita, making a good point in the girls' defense.

"Yeah, they were just like you girls. Only they were assigned to Selenity instead," I answered automatically, not really paying attention to the conversation. "With the situation going on between Jeff and me, I decided it would just be best if the girls returned to the states and stayed with the guys for now," I added, sighing as I thought about Jeff.

"Sere, I don't mean to pry. But does anybody know about the twins?" asked Amy in a soft voice, trying not to upset me any further.

"No. The girls did, but I asked Leila to tell them that I miscarried a few days ago when I fainted," I answered in a dry tone, fighting back the tears that were threatening to spill. "It's just better if nobody is involved. I don't want it to make things worse," I added quietly.

"But Serena, Jeff deserves to know about his children," whispered Mina, placing a hand on mine and squeezing it gently in reassurance.

"No, he doesn't, not after leaving his family the way he did," I snapped angrily. I knew I shouldn't blame him for having amnesia, but I had a right to be upset. Even if he forgot our life together now, we still had a life together in the past and could have worked things out. So why did he choose to abandon his family?

"Serena, you know he wasn't in the right state of mind when he left. I'm sure he'll come around eventually," Lita pointed out, leaning across the table to grab my free hand.

"It's been 2 months since he's left. When exactly is he supposed to come around and realize he left his family and a huge burden on my heart? I can't sit around and hope that he'll remember us after the twins are born. It's just too much for me to handle right now," I cried, frustrated that the tears I had tried so hard to hold back, were streaming down my face.

"It'll be okay Sere. We're here for you," whispered Raye, pulling me into her arms and holding me tightly as I sobbed quietly.

– John Hopkins –

Just as Solaris was scrolling through his phone book in search of Serenity's phone number, his phone started vibrating before a minor shrill could be heard throughout the office.

"Hello?" answered Sol in an uncertain tone, sending an apologetic glance at Mikal an apologetic glance.

"Sorry to interrupt your session, but it's important," replied Nick urgently at the other end of the line. As soon as Solaris heard those words, thoughts of Serenity and their son Brandon immediately flashed through his mind.

"What's wrong?" asked Solaris as his heart began beating rapidly.

"There was an incident last night. Serenity seems to have disappeared with Brandon in the midst of all the chaos," Nick answered, the edginess apparent in his tone.

"No…" Solaris uttered before the phone slipped from his hand and landed on the carpeted flooring with a small clink.

"Mr. Timmons!" called out Mikal, lunging forward to catch Solaris as he fell to his knees in shock. His vision blurred as hundreds of images came flooding through his head, some of memories, and some of terrifying possibilities.

"Solaris…" Mikal heard the voice on the cell phone yell repeatedly as he retrieved it from the floor. "Answer me Solaris!" Nick called out again worriedly.

"Sera…" Sol whispered just as he lost all consciousness.

"This is Dr. Mikal Jones speaking. I'm Jeffrey's psychiatrist," Mikal informed the caller quickly as he tried to steady Jeff in his arms. "Whatever it is you said it seems to have triggered an onslaught of thoughts. He's fainted," he added, slowly edging Jeff back into the seat.

"We'll be right there," replied Nick briskly before hanging up abruptly.

"Okay…" said Mikal as he stared at the phone, not sure what to make of the entire situation. He turned to glance at Jeff once more before paging his assistant for help. His staff arrived shortly afterwards and they moved Jeff to a room so they could monitor him.

– The Guys –

"Justin!" Nick hollered, rushing through the house looking for the guys.

"Where's the fire dude?" answered Justin, rounding the corner and almost smacking into him as they met in the hallway.

"Solaris fainted after I told him about Serenity. We need to get up to the hospital before he starts mumbling nonsense that might leave us in a bind," said Nick hurriedly. "Do you know where Drew is?" he asked, shutting the door to Drew's bedroom.

"Right behind you, what's up?" asked Drew, confused as to why they were congregating in the hallway. "Does anybody want to tell me why we're standing in the hallway like junior high school kids?" he added curiously.

"No time, let's go," replied Nick, heading down the hallway towards the garage entrance. He hopped into the driver side and turned on the engine before throwing a 'come on' look at the guys, who obligingly got in quickly.

Arriving at the hospital, they rushed to Dr. Jones' office to see where Solaris had been moved to. The nurses at the counter got them caught up to par with everything that had taken place just as they arrived outside his room.

"Please try not to upset him when he wakes up. We're trying to record his readings to see if there might be a break through on his recovery," stated the nurse as ushered them into the room before any bystanders realized who they were and caused a riot. "Please page a nurse when you are ready to leave and we will get you out of here discreetly," she added, turning and hurrying back to her station.

"So what happened to cause all this?" asked Justin in a hushed tone, pointing to the monitor that was hooked up to Jeff and printing out some weird squiggly line.

"It's so they can pinpoint any abnormalities in his brain waves," answered Drew, shaking his head at Justin's gesture.

"Oh," responded Justin feeling kind of stupid now.

"Sera!" cried Solaris as he bolted up and startled the guys.

"Jesus Christ!" yelled Justin, jumping backwards.

"Stop!" said Nick firmly as he grabbed Solaris before he could pull any of the wires attached to him off. Drew ran to the other side and tried to grab hold of his arm to help Nick calm him down before things got out of hand.

"What the hell is going on?!" yelled Jeff, still trying to sort out his thoughts.

"You're at the hospital Sol, you fainted," explained Nick calmly.

"Why the hell do you keep calling me Sol, and what reason would I need to be at a hospital?" asked Jeff incredulously.

"Uh, Sol, did you bump your head again dude?" asked Justin, looking at him weirdly, not sure if it was even safe to step within close proximity of the guy.

"My name is Jeff you half wit," snapped Jeff, glaring at Justin as if he lost a screw.

"Jeff?" called out Drew hesitantly.

"Yes, what other name do I go by now? People are going to think we're nuts if we start addressing each other by our former names from a previous life you idiots!" said Jeff, yanking his arms free of their hold on him and shaking his head.

"Jeff, what was your last coherent thought?" asked Nick cautiously. He wasn't sure what had happened, but he didn't want to make things worse by giving away more information than necessary before he was certain of Jeff's stability.

"I'm not really sure," answered Jeff, grabbing his head as it began to throb. "One moment I'm heading to pick up Brandon's birthday cake, and then total darkness," he added.

"Whoa, are you saying you don't remember anything after that man?" asked Justin.

"Remember what?" asked Jeff, turning to look at Justin. "Would you guys tell me what the crap is going on before I go crazy and lose my mind?!" he yelled, beginning to get annoyed with the entire situation.

"Calm down Jeff. We're trying to process the information ourselves too," answered Nick, interrupting him before a fight broke out. "There was an accident Jeff," he started to explain.

"Was anyone hurt?" Jeff asked, worry present in his face.

"Uh, yeah man. You were pretty torn up," retorted Justin, looking at Jeff as if he had grown another head or something.

"That's right… My car skidded out of control," whispered Jeff quietly as all the images came rushing back. He cringed, recalling the impact his car made with the telephone pole.

"Yeah, you were in a coma for some time because of the accident. The doctors were worried you might not pull through," stated Drew, not wanting to recall the look of anguish on Sera's face that horrible day.

"But luckily for us, you snapped out of it 2 months later and woke up miraculously," interrupted Justin after noticing the look of guilt plastered on Jeff's face.

"Only problem though, was that you had amnesia from the cranial damage," explained Nick, taking a seat beside Jeff's bed and looking at him sternly. "You forgot all memories of this lifetime and reverted back to previous self," he added grimly.

"Yeah dude, it was so creepy," said Justin. "You were so freaking mean to Sera, asking her whose child Brandon was and arguing with her about not being married," he added, shaking his head as he recalled the devastating blows she had experienced back then.

"Oh good God," stuttered Jeff in disbelief. 'What have I done?' he thought, inwardly beating himself up for the disaster he has caused. "So where are my family?" he asked, finally snapping out of his reverie.

"We don't know where Sera and Brandon are actually," Drew spoke up, wishing he weren't the bearer of bad news.

"What do you mean? They should be at our house!" Jeff stated, the tone in his voice changing from disbelief to anger quickly.

"I'd hate to break it to you bro, but we're not even in Japan anymore," replied Nick, placing a hand on Jeff's shoulder to try and calm him down a bit. "You decided you couldn't handle the stress and wanted to get away from it all," he added in a more quiet tone, trying not to sound as if he blamed Jeff for leaving his family behind.

"And you just let me?!" asked Jeff incredulously. 'What in God's name is going on here?!' he thought, more angry with himself than anybody at the moment. He couldn't believe all of the chaos that was going on and to make matters worse, he tore everyone apart.

"Well, Dr. Bowen thought that this center would help you recover your memories. So the guys and I all agreed to take you since we had no other option," answered Drew.

"Can someone explain how my wife and child missing has anything to do with my amnesia and us leaving?" asked Jeff, tired of all the turmoil that was going on.

"I don't even know myself actually. Let me call Lena and have her explain it to us all. I tried contacting Sera, but she wouldn't say anything about it," Nick said as he dialed Lena's number on his cell phone and waited to place her on speaker for everyone to hear.

"Hello?" answered Lena, her voice hoarse from apparently crying.

"Babe?" whispered Nick worriedly after he heard her voice.

"Have you heard anything from Sera yet hunnie?" Lena asked, sounding desperately hopefully. "Please tell me she responded to your e-mail," she pleaded with him.

"I did get a response, but she didn't tell me much. She asked me to tell you girls to stop freaking out and blowing up her inbox. Would you please tell us what's going on so we can have an idea babe?" replied Nick, pulling his phone away and switching it over to speaker.

"I don't know why she left Nick. I'm worried sick about her. She just disappeared when we came back to the hospital to check on her," explained Lena as her voice trembled.

"Hospital?" asked Jeff, panic beginning to arise in his tone.

"Yeah... We weren't supposed to tell anybody because Sera wanted to figure out how to go about things first," Lena replied, sounding more saddened now. "It's not exactly something I want to be telling you about now," she added quietly.

"Just tell me what happened already!" Jeff demanded furiously, tired of hearing all her babble. "I just want to know if my wife and son are okay," he added desperately.

"Brandon is fine," Lena began, "but I don't know about Sera though," she finished. "I never got a chance to see her afterward, things just happened so quickly," she began retelling the events slowly. "The girls and I were so distraught over it, so I can only imagine what is running through Sera's mind now," she added, more to herself than the guys.

"After what?! I need you to quit talking about it like I already know. What happened to Sera?!" yelled Jeff angrily, earning a startled gasp from Lena.

"Sera was already pregnant when you had your accident," replied Lena nervously. "I went with her to see Leila and she told us Sera was about 8 weeks along after you and the guys went to Baltimore," she explained, her voice sounding even more quiet now than before.

"Pregnant?" Jeff mumbled, still shocked at what he had just heard. Here he feared the worse, like his wife and child may be hurt, but he was not expecting anything like this.

"Wait babe, did you say WAS?" asked Nick, still not getting what was going on. This earned a quick turn of head from Jeff as his eyes almost bulged out of their sockets.

"No," said Jeff, falling back into the pillows. "This has got to be some sort of sick joke," he grumbled, not wanting to believe what Lena had just said.

"Things were going great up until the accident happened," Lena responded, "She was 19 weeks along when we got the news of the band breaking up. I guess all the stress over things had finally taken its toll on her," she told him. "Sera fainted when she saw Nick's e-mail," she started telling them about the accident.

"That explains the hospital I guess," replied Nick quietly, interrupting Lena so she could take a break and collect her thoughts before continuing.

"Yeah, well it gets worse. Sera hit her head on the kitchen counter when she fainted, so they took her to the hospital to get examined. That's where Leila noticed that the stress level was putting a strain on the baby," continued Lena, recalling Leila's exact words.

"I don't understand why you're speaking in past tense Lena. Did something happen to the baby?" asked Jeff, praying to God that he had misheard what she said just now.

"Jeff, she was hyperventilating badly when she was in the emergency room," explained Lena solemnly. "Leila said that she started to cramp because of that and it was too straining on her body," she tried to repeat as much of what Leila had told her the best she could.

"So, she had a miscarriage?" Justin finally spoke up after all this time. He was listening to intensely that he had started to zone out. Jeff and Nick both looked at him shocked that he had spoken the unwanted words.

"I'm afraid so," answered Lena in a whisper. "Then she was gone," she added, still not believing that this ordeal was reality.

"What do you mean gone? She can't just up and leave a hospital without anyone knowing!" Jeff stated, finally snapping out of the daze he was in.

"I'm not sure what all took place when we left the hospital that night," Lena snapped back, "but she was already gone by the time we got back the next morning. There was even a letter that she had left us."

"That explains what Sera meant in the e-mail," said Nick, thinking back to what she had written him about everything. 'But why would she want the girls to come here?' he wondered, not understanding what Sera was trying to do by pushing everyone away in her time of need. It didn't seem like something she would do.

"Leila…" Jeff stated after a short a while. The guys both turned and looked at him lost, even Lena voiced her confusion with a 'huh?' as well. "She knows," he said, everything finally coming together. 'It all makes sense now,' he thought, taking his phone out of Nick's hand. "I'll call you back later," he told her before hanging up and dialing another number.

~*A.N.*~

That's it for this part of the finale, look forward to the last and final part. R & R please!


	22. Twenty Part III

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*SuN-MoOn-ChiLd*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
A.N. Okay guys, this is the next update for NTB. Sorry it's so long.  
Please R & R, I'dappreciate any and all of your suggestions. Enjoy…  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*SuN-MoOn-ChiLd*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

– Recap [Sera] –

"But Serena, Jeff deserves to know about his children," whispered Mina, placing a hand on mine and squeezing it gently in reassurance.

"No, he doesn't, not after leaving his family the way he did," I snapped angrily. I knew I shouldn't blame him for having amnesia, but I had a right to be upset. Even if he forgot our life together now, we still had a life together in the past and could have worked things out. So why did he choose to abandon his family?

"Serena, you know he wasn't in the right state of mind when he left. I'm sure he'll come around eventually," Lita pointed out, leaning across the table to grab my free hand.

"It's been 2 months since he's left. When exactly is he supposed to come around and realize he left his family and a huge burden on my heart? I can't sit around and hope that he'll remember us after the twins are born. It's just too much for me to handle right now," I cried, frustrated that the tears I had tried so hard to hold back, were streaming down my face.

"It'll be okay Sere. We're here for you," whispered Raye, pulling me into her arms and holding me tightly as I sobbed quietly.

– Recap [Jeff] –

"What do you mean gone? She can't just up and leave a hospital without anyone knowing!" Jeff stated, finally snapping out of the daze he was in.

"I'm not sure what all took place when we left the hospital that night," Lena snapped back, "but she was already gone by the time we got back the next morning. There was even a letter that she had left us."

"That explains what Sera meant in the e-mail," said Nick, thinking back to what she had written him about everything. 'But why would she want the girls to come here?' he wondered, not understanding what Sera was trying to do by pushing everyone away in her time of need. It didn't seem like something she would do.

"Leila…" Jeff stated after a short a while. The guys both turned and looked at him lost, even Lena voiced her confusion with a 'huh?' as well. "She knows," he said, everything finally coming together. 'It all makes sense now,' he thought, taking his phone out of Nick's hand. "I'll call you back later," he told her before hanging up and dialing another number.

~*Part III – Finale*~

– Presently Sera's Place –

My sobs had finally subsided and all the girls sat around Raye and me as she continued rocking me back and forth, running her hand through my hair soothingly.

"Okay, why don't you lay down for a while and we'll clean up for you," suggested Amy as she got up and started picking up our glasses to take back to the kitchen.

"That's a good idea," Lita said before jumping up and grabbing the dessert dishes as she followed Amy out of the living room.

"Did you want me to come up with you?" asked Raye, helping me up from my seat on the couch. I shook my head and headed upstairs towards my bedroom quietly. I started to doze off while the girls continued to clean up downstairs. "Sere?" called out Raye as she popped her head into my room to check on me.

"Yes?" I replied groggily as I saw her step completely into my room and shut the door behind her. "Thanks Raye," I whispered, turning around as she took a seat beside me.

"We're all done downstairs so I just wanted to see how you were feeling before we all left," said Raye, placing a hand on my forehead to check my temperature. "Did you need anything else?" she asked worriedly.

"No, I'm fine," I replied, smiling at her so that she wouldn't fret over me. "Tell the girls I said good night," I added as she pulled her hand back and nodded at me before turning to leave. "Love you guys," I whispered to her back as she got to the door.

"Love you too," Raye said quietly, smiling as she closed the door behind her. I quickly fell back asleep after hearing the girls file out of the front door and locking it as they left.

There was an e-mail from Keiko the next morning when I woke up, so I quickly got to work on correcting the draft, making note of everything she suggested I do. I got so wrapped up in the story that I forgot about my problems, which was I good thing too because I didn't want Brandon sensing that something was bothering me.

– Meanwhile John Hopkins –

"Hi Leila, this is Jeff Timmons calling," said Jeff after the line picked up. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking. But that's not why I'm calling," he responded to her greeting. "I've heard about Sera, and I need to hear everything directly from you." The expression on his face went from nervous to grim within seconds. "Why did you let her leave after something like that happened though?" He didn't understand how everything had gotten so out of hand so quickly. "No, I understand that she asked you to keep things confidential between you two, but I'm her husband!" he argued. "Please, I'm begging you. I need to find my family," he pleaded, beginning to lose all hope of ever seeing his wife and child again.

Justin and Nick both looked on as the conversation between Leila continued on for another five minutes before Jeff hung up. They were unsure of the outcome, and since they didn't know how to act, they waited for Jeff to speak first.

"She's in Osaka," said Jeff after a short while. Smiles broke out on both Nick and Justin's face thinking that everything was turning out great, until the notice the look in Jeff's eyes. "But she wouldn't tell me anything else," he added, chunking the phone across the room.

"We can find them. There are 9 of us, it can't be that hard," said Justin, trying to shed some light on the situation. Nick nodded in response as they looked at Jeff, uncertain of how he wanted to go about things now.

"Did you want me to arrange a flight back?" asked Nick, pulling out his phone as he waited for Jeff to compose himself first. Jeff nodded, closing his eyes and laying back down while Nick went about calling Kyle and Jason [A.N. – the pilots to their private jet, just in case you forgot] up to get the plane ready. As he was doing this, Dr. Jones walks back into the room to check up on Jeff.

"Who are you?" asks Jeff, staring at the man strangely.

"Mikal Jones, your doctor?" replied Mikal, giving Nick and inquisitive look.

"Long story short, he remembers everything from before, just not recently," answered Justin for Nick since he was still on the phone talking to the pilots.

"Are you feeling alright Mr. Timmons?" asked Mikal, checking Jeff's eyes and the monitor printouts. "Would someone mind telling me what happened?" he directed towards Nick and Justin while he flipped through Jeff's charts.

"I'm not sure myself actually," laughed Justin nervously. "One minute he still doesn't remember anything, and the next, he acts like nothing ever happened," he explained, shrugging when Mikal gave him a preposterous look.

"Yes, that's right. We'd like to leave tonight if possible," said Nick over all the talking that was going on in the room.

"Leave?" asked Mikal, looking at Justin curiously.

"Yes, I'm going back to Japan to my wife and son," Jeff finally spoke up.

"I'm afraid I can't allow that. You're too unstable right now," interrupted Mikal, his tone switched over from friendly to professional within seconds.

"Why not?" asked Nick suddenly, stopping midsentence to turn and look at Mikal.

"As a doctor, I cannot allow Jeff to leave when his mind is in such turmoil. Who knows what can happen to trigger a relapse?" stated Mikal justifiably.

"Then you'll have to come with us," argued Jeff, determined to have his way.

"At least let us run a few more tests before you leave. If need be, I will travel with you myself to monitor your condition," replied Mikal, trying to come to a compromise with Jeff so that he wouldn't upset him any further.

"How long before you'll discharge me then?" asked Jeff, not sounding too happy with the way things were turning out. "I want to go home," he mumbled to himself.

"I don't know, but give me a few days to get things in order before you make any hasty decision to pack up and leave," Mikal told him, tearing off the printouts and folding them into Jeff's file to take with him.

So Mikal left and sorted through all the paperwork to discharge Jeff the following day. He lined up an assortment of tests to run on Jeff to make sure this wasn't just a temporary fix on his case of amnesia. A week later, Mikal gave Jeff the okay to travel and signed a complete release on his case since all lab results came back good. Jeff and the guys were on the plane back to Tokyo that same night where they met up with the girls at the penthouse.

Once home, Jeff contacted Leila and pleaded with her to give him some more information on Sera's whereabouts, but to no avail, Leila had no idea where exactly she was staying. Everyone went on with their lives and the guys looked for new jobs as they continued to look for the missing duo. Another month slowly fades on by and Jeff had begun to lose hope of ever tracking his family down.

– Meanwhile with Sera –

After that incident at dinner, I went about my own business as if nothing had happened. The girls and I took plenty of shopping excursions to buy little knick knacks that the twins might need. Time passed quickly and by the time I finally had my next visit with Leila and I was already 26 weeks along. I looked ready for burst for someone who was only at the end of her second trimester. It was getting harder and harder for me to move around so I worked directly from home and had conference calls with Keiko and Sato about the book whenever necessary. The girls took it upon themselves to set up the nursery for me, which I happily let them handle since I had so much to do with the book getting published soon.

"Wow Sere, I can't believe it's coming out in two weeks! Aren't you excited?!" Mina asked me happily during our weekly get together. I smiled and sipped on my smoothie while I turned and looked at Brandon, who was so enraptured with his cupcake to notice the tiny package hidden behind Mina's chair.

"Not really, just glad it's done I guess," I answered, wiping some icing off his face before taking away half the cupcake, earning a tiny wail in response. I laughed and played with his hair before pointing at the ground behind Mina's feet and saw his eyes light up with glee.

"Awww, you ruined my surprise!" mumbled Mina while Brandon started clapping excitedly as he extended his hands out towards Mina to pick him up. She had brought down the package I had ordered especially for Brandon as a makeup gift for his birthday.

"Ya!" squealed Brandon happily when he saw a tiny head pop out from the box. Of course this didn't faze us one bit. Brandon had slowly started speaking ever since the whole incident with Jeff happened, so he said bits and pieces of the few words he had learned through listening to me and the girls talk.

"OMG! He said his first word Sere!" cried Mina excitedly, hugging him tightly.

"No Mina, he's just talking baby gibberish. You should hear some of the other stuff he mumbles when we're at home cooking," I told her, laughing as the excitement in her eyes disappeared and she huffed in disappointment.

"Wo... Wo..." Brandon imitated as it leapt out of the box and licked him.

"Isn't he cute Brandon? I hope you like him baby," I said, petting the tiny dog lightly as he continued to lick my son's face. I had a white Maltese puppy shipped over to keep Brandon occupied so I could work in peace without him fussing for my attention.

"She's so precious that I almost wanted to keep her for myself," laughed Mina as she pet the puppy gently. Mina had brought the puppy down with her when she came to see her. I had it shipped to her place since I couldn't keep it at mine without spoiling Brandon's surprise.

"I could call the lady back and have her ship me another one if you wanted," I told her, keeping an eye on my son and the dog after I set him down to play with it.

"No, that's okay. I wouldn't have the time to look after a puppy," replied Mina sadly, sighing as she watched the two playing on the floor. Sometimes it seemed as if Mina wished she wasn't a model because she rarely had any time to enjoy her life.

"You can come over and play with Toki anytime you want then," I said, smiling as her eyes lit up once again.

"You bet I will," laughed Mina, scooping the puppy up and sticking her tongue out at Brandon, who started pouting in response. "Toki huh?" she asked me and I could tell she was trying to figure out why I chose such that name.

"I think it's perfect," I replied, knowing that she'd get the meaning behind my response. Being that we had all grown up in Japan, the girls and I all knew that Toki meant 'time of opportunity', which really did describe my life at the moment.

"Time of opportunity huh?" Mina said out loud, thinking over the name and trying to correlate it to my life. "How fitting," she whispered, smiling as she handed the puppy back to Brandon and tousled his hair playfully.

"She's going to be quite the hand full," I stated, noticing my son slowly pull himself up to chase the puppy around. "I just hope she's trained by the time the twins arrive," I prayed, sighing while I rubbed my stomach in reaction to a kick.

"How far along are you now anyways? You look ready to pop," teased Mina.

"I'm already 28 weeks, but I look like I'm about 32 weeks and ready to give birth for crying out loud," I muttered grumpily. It was so exhausting on my body every day, and it only got worse the bigger I got.

"Did you Leila say that she's positive you'll go into labor early?" asked Mina, reaching over and rubbing my shoulder gently to ease some of the tension out of me.

"Yeah, I saw her earlier this morning. She thinks they'll come sometime next month," I told her, shaking my head still not believing that my beautiful babies would be in my arms soon. I let out a breath I had been holding as I thought about Jeff and how the twins would probably never get to know let alone meet him.

"You're doing it again," pointed out Mina, shaking her head as she notice me jump in surprise. I hadn't realized that I had zoned out for so long until I looked over at her and saw Brandon sitting in her lap with the puppy in his arms.

"Sorry, couldn't help myself," I admitted, shaking my head to get the thought out of my mind so I my son wouldn't notice and start to worry. "Anyway, how about we get back home so we can have Toki set up baby?" I said, petting the puppy before signaling for the waitress.

"Do you want me to help you with anything?" asked Mina while attempting to steal the check from me so she could pay. "Let me get that, you paid last time," she said, yanking the tab out of my grasp and tucking it in her arm before I could protest.

"You act like I'm broke of something. You girls pay for everything already, at least let me pay for the meals," I whined, rolling my eyes as she shook her head and returned it to the waitress with her card.

"What else am I going to blow my money on if not you and my godson?" she argued in response as she smiled and kissed Brandon on the cheek, igniting a giggle from him.

We packed out our stuff and Mina helped me put the dog into the car while I put Brandon into his car seat. After that, Mina went back to the city while I headed home with Brandon to set up the dog house I had stowed away. The next two weeks was pretty much chaotic for me because I was busy trying to get ready for the big book launch.

– Jeff –

Desperate times called for drastic measures, and that is just what Jeff had done when he decided to relocate to Osaka so he could pursue his search more effectively. Everyone else had jobs to tend to so they stayed back in the city, plus Nick and Lena had suddenly decided to push their wedding date up also, so they were all busy helping with those preparations.

"Good morning Mr. Timmons, did you want the usual?" greeted the waiter at the local café Jeff had become a frequent customer at since his move last week.

"Yes, thanks Paul," answered Jeff tiredly. He sat down at his usual table and pulled out the morning paper to skim through the current affairs and classified ads.

"So are you going to check out the book signing later?" Paul asked as he placed the cappuccino down on the table and wiped his hands. He looked out the window and pointed towards the huge display sign when Jeff gave him a questioning look. "It's been the talk of the town for a while now. Some new upcoming author that is getting published by Nippon Jitsugyo, and they're one of Tokyo most prominent publishing companies too," he added.

"So what's the book about?" asked Jeff curiously as he looked across the street.

"I'm not quite sure, but I heard some ladies talking about a kingdom, so I'm guessing it's one of those romantic fictions," answered Paul, shrugging as he returned to work.

"Pardon my intrusion, but I couldn't help but overhearing you two," interrupted a lady from the counter. "Are you talking about that event for "A Kingdom Forgotten" that is going on at the bookstore?" she asked curiously.

"Actually, I was just telling Jeff about it, but I'm not too sure what the book is all about so I'm not really of much help," laughed Paul as he gave her a cup of Earl Grey tea.

"I could help you with that," she replied excitedly. "Oh, excuse my manners. My name is Yuki Katsura," she apologized, smiling as she extended her hand.

"Jeffrey, Jeffrey Timmons, nice to meet you," replied Jeff politely as he reached up and shook her hand. "So, I guess you are attending?" he asked, noticing the flyer in her hand.

"Oh, but of course. Lunette Soleil wrote the epitome of all love stories. I read part of the introduction that was released online weeks ago, and I've been dying to get a copy of the book ever since," explained Yuki, letting Jeff take a glance at the flyer to see the artwork. "Even her cover art looks like a scene from some mythical fantasy,

One glance at the flyer had sent Jeff flying towards Yuki to get a closer look. The flyer was of a single white castle sitting in the center with a silhouetted couple hidden in the shadows of a willow tree to the right and a blazing sun overshadowing a tiny earth on other left side. It was like a flashback of his life during the Silver Millennium. His actions had startled Yuki so she let go of the flyer and jumped backwards, giving him an awkward look.

"Sorry Yuki, but what did you say the author's name was again?" asked Jeff, panic rising in his voice as he continued to stare at the flyer intensely.

"Lunette Soleil, its French I believe," answered Yuki as she took a step back, feeling a bit nervous with the way he was acting. "I'm sorry, but why did you have such a weird response to seeing the cover art?" she asked worriedly.

"My apologies, but this scenery reminds me of something my wife," said Jeff, rubbing the back of his neck feeling a bit ridiculous for jumping at the lady so suddenly.

"Maybe you should come then. I'm sure your life would love a copy," Yuki suggested, smiling at him. "I hear the author is really lovely too," she added with a wink.

"You know what? You're right, maybe I should," replied Jeff, grabbing his stuff and following Yuki out the door with a quick wave to Paul as they left.

"So how long have you lived here Mr. Timmons?" Yuki inquired with curiosity.

"Just Jeffrey is fine Miss Katsura," replied Jeff quietly, looking around for bystanders. He was praying that Yuki wasn't aware of who he actually was considering that she lived in such a secluded town that looked very traditional.

"Then please call me Yuki, Jeffrey," replied Yuki as they reached the bookstore and ran into the crowd of people waiting around inside for the signing to start. There was food and drinks as well as little gift bags for everyone who purchased a book set up beside the table at the back of the room. Jeff looked around and noticed that the room was decorated to look like a scene from the book. It was like he was standing in the grand hall of the castle itself.

"When exactly will the author make her appearance?" asked Jeff impatiently.

"Not sure, but why don't you talk a tour of the room and take a look at all the displays set up with snippets of the book?" Yuki suggested pointing at all the small tables set up throughout the room as viewing stands. He could only nod as he headed in the direction of what looked like a crown sitting on display beside one of the viewing tables.

"Oh, sorry, please excuse me. I wasn't watching where I was going," a quiet voice said quickly after they slammed into his back.

"No problem at all," said Jeff, dismissing the timid voice as he continued to stare at the display in awe. It was an exact replica of Serenity's crown, down to every last gem stone. He looked over towards the book for further confirmation. 'Princess Serenity, high princess of the Silver Millennium and Moon Kingdom' he read as his eyes bulged in surprise.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" the same quiet voice interrupted his thoughts once again. This time, Jeff couldn't help but recognize a familiar tone that sounded almost reminiscent.

"Yes, quite breathtaking. Do you know how the author came up with such detailed works from just a story?" asked Jeff curiously. He heard shuffling behind him and saw a glimpse of a stomach protruding from the person who was now standing almost beside him.

"It's more than just a story. It's a legacy," the woman whispered, more to herself than to him. "I hope you enjoy the book," she added before turning away just as Jeff turned around to get a good look at her. He noticed her hand resting safely on her stomach protectively as she walked around greeting other people at different stations.

"So how did you like meeting the author?" chimed in Yuki as she came up beside him with an ecstatic look on her face. This caused Jeff to do a double-take and look at the woman more thoroughly now that Yuki had informed him of who she was. From the back, you could hardly tell she was pregnant at all, especially since she had on a light cloak that hid her body quite well. He suddenly noticed a lock of blonde hair shimmering under the spotlight. "Are you okay Jeffrey?" Yuki called out worriedly when he didn't budge from his spot.

'Why do I get this sense of déjà-vu?' thought Jeff oddly. He blinked and shook his head again before taking another look at the woman, but she had already disappeared in the crowd.

"Maybe we should just head to the front, it looks like the signing is about to start," Yuki suggested, hoping it would snap him out of his daze.

– Meanwhile with Sera –

So the day of my book launching finally came around and I was running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Sato was currently downstairs watching over Brandon while I tried to hurry and change into my outfit. I finally decided on a white sundress that somewhat hid my huge stomach. I was already 30 weeks now and there really wasn't much that could hide the size of my belly so I grabbed a black cloak to wrap around my body.

"Thanks for coming over to help me with Brandon. I appreciate it Sato," I said, smiling as he helped me with the last few steps of the staircase.

"Not a problem Mrs. Timmons, just doing my job," Sato replied with a slight blush.

"Not today though. I'm Lunette Soleil today remember?" I reminded him, shaking my finger at him knowingly. I smiled at the thought of the name I had chosen as my pseudonym for the book. It meant Moon and Sun in French and I couldn't think of any name that could fit my story better than that.

"Oh, right, I almost forgot!" laughed Sato, nervously.

"You seemed more scared about this event than I am!" I teased him, fixing Brandon's shirt before slipping into my shoes so we could leave.

"That's because it turned out to be such a huge event!" Sato argued, picking up all of my bags as he followed Brandon and me out to our cars. "I hope Keiko doesn't scold me if anything goes wrong," he mumbled as I laughed and shook my head.

"Don't worry, you have me to protect you," I said, shaking my head as I laughed in response to his fear of my editor, Keiko Asahi. Although she was such a prominent figure in the publishing industry, I thought Keiko was one of the most down to Earth people I knew. "Why are you so afraid of her anyways? The woman knows how good of a job you do. Heck, you practically do everything for me!" I added after I finished buckling Brandon into his car seat. I looked over at Sato sympathetically. "Chin up Sato, I think you are the best assistant ever!" I said, sending a wink at him to lighten the mood.

"Thanks Miss Soleil," replied Sato, timidly, a blush staining his cheeks one again.

"And quit blushing! You're making me feel like I'm overly flirtatious," I chided, shutting the door after giving Brandon his bottle.

"I can't help myself though. I don't feel deserving of your kind words of praise," Sato argued in a quiet voice. "But I do appreciate all the words of encouragement," he added, smiling as he shut the trunk gently.

"Are we all set?" I asked as he helped me into the car. We both drove over to the book store and parked our cars in the lot behind the building with all the other staff members. Once inside, I noticed the layout of the room and was rendered speechless. They had decorated the room exactly as I had designed it. It was like I was standing in the grand ballroom itself and the feeling was so reminiscent that I couldn't help but tear up slightly.

"Hello, Miss Soleil I presume? I'm Keisuke Ogura, the store manager here," greeted an elderly man as he noticed Sato and me looking around the room.

"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Ogura! Thank you for having us here today," Sato said rather loudly, startling me in the process. Usually he was timid in situations as these, so it took me by surprised that he had spoken up for once.

"Please pardon his big mouth. This is Sato Kusanagi, he's with my Jitsugyo Publishing," I explained, placing a hand on Sato's shoulder to calm his nerves a bit.

"Don't worry. I'm used to meeting newbies all the time in this industry," laughed Mr. Ogura, dismissing the entire thing without offense.

"Good, because he's just like the rest of them, lost and confused," I laughed in response to Mr. Ogura's good natured tease. "By the way, I love the work your staff has done with setting up the event room. I am very pleased with the outcome," I added.

"We're glad you like it. It is your creation after all, we just followed the blue print," said Mr. Ogura merrily. "Would you like to look around some more, or did you want me to show you to your private sitting room so you can get ready?" he asked suddenly.

"That sounds fine. I think people will arriving shortly so I want to have my stuff set up before the crowd gets here," I replied, taking one last glance at the room before following with Brandon in my arms.

"Is Miss Mina coming to help you watch Brandon during the signing?" asked Sato quietly as we followed Mr. Ogura down the hallway.

"Yeah, but you probably won't recognize her because she said something about coming in disguise," I answered, laughing as I recalled Mina's excuse. Just then, I felt a finger tap my shoulder gently. "Speak of the devil," I said after noticing Mina's signature butterfly ring on her right ring finger.

"Hey babes!" said Mina excitedly. "Like the new do?" she asked, pointing at her brunette hair that was curled and tied on one side of her shoulder.

"Lovely as always," I replied, shaking my head at her happy squeal in response to my approval. Mina was always a sucker for flattery, so I was used to it by now. Sato on the other hand, jumped back and plugged his ear in response. "Mina, this is Sato, my editor's assistance. Sato, Mina, one of my best friends," I introduced the two quickly as we arrived at a door.

"This is your sitting room. Please get yourself situated and one of my staff members will be by to assist you with anything else that you may need," explained Mr. Ogura before bowing slightly at us. I smiled and whispered a quick thank you as he shut the door behind him.

"Wow, everything looks so nice Sere!" said Mina enthusiastically.

"Yeah, I can't believe how nice it actually turned out," I said, still awestruck by the final result of everything. I gave Brandon his toys and let him roam free on the floor while I pulled out my organizer and looked over the schedule.

Time quickly flew by as Mina kept Brandon preoccupied while Sato and I discussed how the event was going to play out and finalized any last moment details. Soon enough, the event had gotten on its way and the room began to slowly fill up with crowds of readers. I had closed off a tiny area in the back of the room for Mina and Brandon to sit and watch when I got started with the book signing. It was covered by cream colored chiffon so you couldn't really see into the area unless you stood directly in front of it, so I was relieved that nobody would see Brandon or Mina's faces. As people stood around looking through all the material I had requested to set up all around the room, I slowly made my way through the crowd to get an idea of how the initial responses were to my quick fact displays about the book.

"Oh, sorry, please excuse me. I wasn't watching where I was going," I said quickly after I slammed into a man's back as he was looking at the display.

"No problem at all," said the man, dismissing my voice as he continued to stare at the display in awe. I looked over his shoulder and noticed that it was the display containing a replica of my crown. It looked almost identical, down to every last gem stone.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" I said, interrupting his thoughts once again.

"Yes, quite breathtaking. Do you know how the author came up with such detailed works from just a story?" the man asked curiously. I moved forward, coming up behind him at an angle as to not bump into him with my stomach.

"It's more than just a story. It's a legacy," I whispered, more to myself than to him. "I hope you enjoy the book," I added before turning away just as the man turned around to look at me. Placing a hand on my stomach protectively, I continued making my way around the room to greet various people at all the stations.

– Combined POV –

"There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you," exclaimed Sato, skidding to a halt in front of me. "We need to get you seated so we can start with the function," he explained, placing a hand protectively behind my back as he ushered me through the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of Junkudo bookstore and Jitsugyo Publishing, we'd like to introduce to you the author of 'The Forgotten Kingdom', Miss Lunette Soleil," announced a loud voice on the overhead speakers just as a spotlight was pointed directly at me. "Our signing event will begin shortly, so please feel free to join us in the main room," added the announcer before signing off with the official Junkudo bookstore slogan.

'OMG,' was all I could think as I smiled meekly at the crowd and waved slightly before Sato helped me into my seat. One by one, people started to approach me with their copy of my book and cameras started flashing everywhere. 'God help me,' I prayed silently as I started signing dozens upon dozens of books and smiled for endless photos.

"I'm so thrilled to be here. The intro to your book was absolutely addicting, I can't wait to start reading it today," explained the lady standing in front of me. She sounded so thrilled that I could hardly refrain from smiling awkwardly in response.

'Man, she's wired,' I thought, flipping to the back of the book to sign.

"I even invited my friend who was so enraptured by your cover art!" she added excitedly, pulling the young man up to my table suddenly.

"Whoa! Hold your horses Yuki! Sorry about that," was the man's response as he bumped into the table and knocked a few books out of place. Sato quickly jumped to catch them before the fell off the table as I looked up in confusion. The voice sounded so familiar.

"Sol…" I whispered in disbelief, dropping my pen as I shook my head and looked again to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me.

"What?" replied Jeff as we locked eyes. "Sera…" he whispered, barely audible.

"Oh God," was my only response as I immediately sprung up from my chair. I clutched my chest as my heart started pounding at the sight of him standing before me.

"Miss Soleil, are you okay?" asked the lady who Jeff has called Yuki, worry apparent in her eyes as I began to breathe heavily.

"Sera!" cried Jeff and Sato simultaneously, jumping forward to catch me when they saw me sway slightly and stumbled backwards.

"Don't touch me!" I cried, slapping his hand as I backed away from him.

"What's going on?!" asked Mina frantically. She rushed out from the veiled area and came to an immediate halt when she saw me hyperventilating in front of Jeff, who looked completely surprised and caught off guard.

"What's going on?" asked Sato as he placed his arms on me protectively.

"Get me out of here," I pleaded quietly, tears threatening to spill from my eyes while I struggled to get air into my lungs. 'What the hell was my husband doing here?' ran through my head as Sato escorted me back to my private room.

– Jeff –

"Please excuse us for a brief moment," Mina explained to all the confused bystanders that were left in line staring at the empty seat. "And you, I think you should just leave. You've done enough damage here," she suggested, warning Jeff by staring daggers at him before rushing off to find Mr. Ogura so he could handle the situation.

"Mina, please. I'm begging you," pleaded Jeff desperately.

"This is out of my control Solaris. Serenity is in no condition to handle this chaos right now," explained Mina as she thought about Sera's mental state. "If anything happens to those babies, so help me God," she warned, walking briskly pass him in a huff.

"Babies?" asked Jeff, turning around and grabbing Mina's hand before she could walk off and leave him with unanswered questions. "What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Damn it," Mina muttered, mentally slapping herself for letting it slip.

"Mina, I need to know. What babies?" Jeff asked, his voice changing from serious to grim within a matter of seconds.

"You wouldn't understand Solaris. And right now, I just don't have the time to explain it all to you," replied Mina angrily.

"Will you stop calling me that already?!" cried Jeff, finally snapping. "My name is Jeff for crying out loud," he mumbled, tired of hearing a name from the past.

"Jeff?" repeated Mina, staring at him in confusion. She immediately grabbed his arm and pulled him into the covered area and pushed him into the chair beside Brandon. "What is going on here?!" she asked him, annoyed with the whole situation.

"Min!" squealed Brandon excitedly when he saw Mina come back for him. Jeff looked down and saw his son sitting there with his arms extended towards Mina.

"Brandon," Jeff called out before scooping him into his arms tightly.

"Min!" cried Brandon, squirming around as tears filled his eyes. Jeff looked down at his son in bewilderment as Mina hurriedly took Brandon out of his arms and consoled him.

"He doesn't recognize you anymore," whispered Mina, rocking the toddler in her arms gently as she stroked his head and hummed in his ears.

"Please tell me you're kidding me. How is that even possible?" Jeff asked incredulously. He started pacing back and forth while looking at his frightened son.

"Well, you've been gone almost half a year. What do you expect when you're not around a growing child?" Mina asked him, rolling her eyes at his ignorance.

"Has it been that long?" asked Jeff, completely caught off guard. He had been so wrapped up in trying to fix things that so much time had passed by.

"Yes, and you've missed your wife's entire pregnancy with the twins," explained Mina feeling bad for him once she noticed his demeanor.

"Twins?" Jeff spoke up, turning to give Mina a questioning look. She could only nod in response before Jeff took off running in the direction he had last seen that man take his wife.

"Jeff, wait!" Mina called out, chasing after him with Brandon in her arms. "You don't even know where you're going!" she hollered, finally catching up and pulling him back.

"Please Mina, just let me see her!" cried Jeff exasperatedly. Mina sighed and signaled for him to follow her towards the back of the building.

– Sera –

I was sitting there trying to collect my thoughts as I wiped furiously away at the tears streaming down my face. I jumped slightly in my seat when someone tapped on the door loudly, snapping me out of my daze.

"It's Mina, I'm coming in," called out Mina before opening the door. I could hear her slide through quickly and the door shut quietly.

"Mina, I'm not in the mood right now. Can you just let me have a moment please?" I asked, not bothering to turn around to even look at her.

"I'm sorry," I heard my husband say as I froze in my seat. My heart started to speed up again and I could feel my hands trembling uncontrollably. "Hunnie please," he said as I turned around and looked at him, distraught that he was standing so close to me.

"Don't Solaris. Just get the hell away from me!" I cried out, shaking my head as I backed into the table while trying to place some distance between us.

"Hunnie, it's me, Jeff," he told me with so much sincerity in his voice that my heart pinched in response. He slowly came towards me and I shook my head furiously, holding my hand up to stop him from coming any closer.

"Stop it, just stop it already!" I yelled loudly as the tears I had been holding back came flooding out finally. I clutched my stomach protectively as I started hyperventilating.

"Sera…" he pleaded trying to come closer after he finally noticed my figure. "You're still pregnant," he whispered and I could see realization had finally dawned upon him.

"Mina... Mina!" I cried out as he tried to wrap his arms around me. I couldn't figure out why I was so upset, but he was the last person I wanted to be near right now, especially after everything he has done to our family.

"Are you okay Sera?" Mina called out, bursting into the room to find me leaning against the wall, clutching my stomach with a pained look on my face. "What happened?!" she yelled at Jeff angrily, handing Brandon to him as she pulled me into her arms and out the door.

"She just started freaking out all of a sudden!" Jeff said, following us out of the room with my son crying relentlessly after seeing my distress. "Why won't she let me near her?" he asked, noticing the anguished look on my face.

"She's been under a lot of stress lately. This isn't exactly a walk in the park for her you know!" Mina scolded, bending down to check on me when I hunched over suddenly. "Are you okay babes?" she asked worriedly.

"I can't breathe," I gasped, in between breaths while clutching my stomach tightly. I could feel my muscles starting to cramp up due to the lack of oxygen. 'Oh God,' I thought, suddenly feeling a wave of pain shoot through me. "Mina... Hospital," I managed to mutter as the cramps began to get worse by the minute.

"Hospital?" questioned Mina, confused until she looked down and noticed how pale my face had gotten. "Oh my God Sere!" she cried out, starting to panic as she flipped out her cell and called someone for help.

"What happened?!" called out Sato as he rounded the corner and found us all huddled outside the door of my private room. He rushed over and knelt down beside me to steady me as Mina continued talking to someone on the phone.

"Sato, can you take us to the hospital? I think she's having contractions," answered Mina, flipping her phone shut as she crouched down and wrapped her arms around me.

"I'm going with you guys," interrupted Jeff sternly in the midst of their talking. I was in so much pain that I hadn't noticed that Brandon had stopped crying and was busy staring at his father in wonderment. I couldn't help but smile sadly at the sight before me as another wave of cramps washed over me and I cried out in pain.

"Help me with her!" yelled Mina lifting an arm over her shoulder as she pulled me away from the wall I had been leaning on for support. Sato suddenly swooped down and lifted me up into his arms as gently as possible, knocking the wind out of me.

"I got her, you clear the way," Sato informed her as I closed my eyes tiredly. As he began walking down to hallway towards the entrance, I could hear the crowd gasp in response as we moved through them and out the door. I finally lost consciousness and blacked out somewhere amongst all the commotion going on around us.

– Parking Lot –

"Where are we taking her?" Sato asked as Mina helped him open his back door.

"I just called and let her doctor know about her condition. She said to meet her at the local hospital nearby," replied Mina quietly, getting in on the other side and placing Sera's head on her lap for support. "Are you coming or not?" she called out to Jeff as Sato hopped into the driver's seat and started the ignition.

"Of course!" answered Jeff nervously as he climbed into the front passenger seat with Brandon in his arms. After everyone was buckled in, Sato sped out of the parking lot quickly towards the hospital with his hazard lights blinking all the way.

"I can't believe you upset her so much that she's in this state!" griped Mina, brushing Sera's hair gently as they continued down the road.

"I don't even know what's going on for crying out loud!" snapped Jeff defensively, causing Brandon to erupt into a quiet fit of tears. "Shoot... I'm so sorry kiddo," he apologized, running his hand down Brandon's back to calm him down.

"We should stop arguing in front of the little guy, I'm sure he's already upset enough as it is with his mother in this state," interrupted Sato, not bothering to turn and look at the two as he concentrated on getting to the hospital quickly and safely.

"Look, lets just put everything aside and focus on Sera and the babies right now," agreed Mina before placing a hand on Sera's bulging stomach. "Holy crap!" she screamed, startled when she felt the babies kick in response.

"What's wrong?" asked Sato, looking into the rear-view mirror at her in surprise.

"Sorry, the babies just kicked," said Mina, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. "Just pull into the front entrance, Leila should be there already," she said when Sato turned into the hospital parking lot.

"Okay," answered Sato robotically as he pulled the car up to the emergency doors. The moment the car was parked, Leila and a few nurses immediately rushed to Mina's side.

"What exactly happened?" asked Leila quietly as she checked Sera's pulse.

"I'm not exactly sure. She freaked out when Jeff popped up out of nowhere and then started hyperventilating. That's when the cramping started and she passed out," answered Mina, avoiding Leila confused gaze.

"Jeff?" questioned Leila before her eyes landed on Jeff who was standing behind her with Brandon in his arms, looking over her shoulder worriedly. "I told you what stress did to her last time. Why would you come down here and upset her even more?" she scolded as the paramedics helped move Sera from the backseat onto a stretcher.

"You guys also told me she had a miscarriage!" argued Jeff as he stared down at his wife helplessly. "Please, we can talk about this later. Right now, Sera needs your help," he uttered, too distracted to continue fighting when his wife was unconscious.

"Take care of her please Leila," Mina spoke up as they began wheeling Sera through the hospital lobby. She squeezed Sera's hand tightly before the stretcher was taken away.

"You know I always try when it comes to Sera," replied Leila earnestly. "I noticed a faint trail of blood on her legs, so it's going to be a while before I can make it back out to give you guys an update on her status. I'll let the nurses know to keep you posted," she added before they all disappeared behind the double doors.

"We need to talk," Jeff finally said after the doors had shut.

"I'll watch over him for you guys," offered Sato, taking Brandon out of his arms so that he wouldn't be around the adults if they got into an argument.

"Thanks," said Mina as she followed Jeff down the corridor quietly.

"I need the whole story Mina. From beginning to ending, or I'm going to go mad from all these guessing games. Why is everyone keeping me out of the loop?" stated Jeff the moment they were out of hearing range.

"I don't even know where to start," replied Mina, a grim expression on her face as she thought about Sera. Things had just kind of happened so quickly that she and the girls never got around to asking her what the whole thing was even about. All she knew was that Sera called her up one day and asked for a place to stay to get away from everything. And that was the end of that story because they never delved back into the issue.

"How can you not know? You girls have been with her for the past two or three months!" exclaimed Jeff appalled at her response. 'What in God's name happened while I was gone?' he wondered, beginning to pace back and forth in the hallway.

"Look, all I know is that Sera was hospitalized for something one night. She called me the next morning and came down the same day. I hadn't heard anything between that point and when you had your accident, so I had no idea why she was even coming down to Osaka to stay when you guys were all supposed to be in Tokyo with her," explained Mina tiredly. These issues were beginning to wear her patience thin and she was this close to chewing him out for jumping down her throat with all the accusatory questions.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to lash out at you. I'm just so lost," replied Jeff when he noticed how stressed out and tired her voice sounded. "I can't believe I've been gone for so long," he muttered in disbelief, leaning back on a wall and running a hand through his hair.

"We're all just as shocked as you are. Especially after Sera had told us that you just up and left her all of a sudden," Mina said quietly, sighing when she thought back to all the tears Sera had shed during that time.

"You guys don't understand. It was never my intention to abandon my family. I just barely got all my memories back recently and I'm trying to fix everything, but it's hard when so many pieces are missing and nobody will blue me in," refuted Jeff quietly.

"I'm sorry about the whole amnesia thing. It must have been hard on you to wake up as Solaris and find yourself so disoriented and out of whack," replied Mina sympathetically.

"You have no idea. I can't believe I ran away when I found out that I had brought a child into this world with Serenity. Never in a million years would I think that I would ever leave the love of my life behind to deal with all the issues alone," Jeff whispered, feeling more ashamed now than ever before. It took a real man to admit his mistakes, and Mina could only stand there in silence because she was unsure of what to say after that.

"I think you guys should come back. The nurse said that Leila would be coming out soon," interrupted Sato as he came down the hallway with Brandon trailing behind him.

"Thanks. I'm Jeffrey Timmons, Sere's husband, by the way," said Jeff, extending his hand towards Sato to exchange proper greetings as they headed back.

"Sato Kusanagi. Nice to finally meet you, I've heard much about you," replied Sato, firmly shaking Jeff's hand with his other hand since Brandon was still holding onto his other.

"Come here squirt," said Jeff, lifting Brandon up into his arms as they all walked out into the lobby waiting area just as Leila came out of the double doors.

– E.R. –

After the paramedics had wheeled the stretcher into the room and they had managed to move Sera onto a hospital bed, monitors were hooked up to keep watch on her heart rate and an oxygen mask was placed on her face to make sure she was taking in enough oxygen for both fetuses. Earlier, she spotted some bleeding that seemed unusual, but she couldn't really check with Sera still unconscious.

"Come on Sera, I need you to wake up already. The longer you stay out, the harder it'll be on these little ones," whispered Leila while keeping an eye on the monitors.

"Dr. Jenkins, the babies seem to be in distress. BP is jumping and O2 levels are still very low," interrupted a nurse, pointing at the screen.

– Sera. –

"What's going on?" I asked groggily when I awoke in what looked like a hospital room yet again. I swear it felt like déjà-vu all over again. Only this time, I was the size of a blimp.

"Oh thank God!" cried Leila, turning to look me in the eyes.

"Leila?" I responded, slightly alarmed by her weird reaction. "What happened?" I asked just as a wave of nausea hit me head on. I covered my mouth and fought hard to keep the feeling of wanting to hurl down.

"Are you okay?" asked Leila, placing a hand on my stomach.

"Why do I feel like someone is trying to rip my insides out?" I asked clenching my fist as the cramps came back the moment the nausea subsided.

"It looks like a sign of placental previa. I'm going to have them run a quick ultrasound and we'll decide where to go from here," explained Leila quickly.

"Wait, what?" I asked, freaking out because I didn't quite understand.

"Calm down, we need you to relax. Panicking won't do anything but put more distress on the babies Sera," replied Leila calmly as a nurse came over and started the ultrasound while Leila checked her cervix for any abnormalities.

'Please be safe,' I prayed with all my heart as I listened to the sound of their heartbeats while the wand moved over my stomach and lower abdomen.

"We can't keep having these hemorrhaging problems every time you are under a lot of stress Sera. It's bad for the babies, I warned you last time already remember?" chided Leila as she took off her gloves and came back around to watch the ultrasound.

'It's not like I intentionally try to stress myself out,' I thought sadly, stroking my tummy absentmindedly. The nurses and Leila continued giving me a thorough check up to make sure both of the babies were okay and had blank expressions on their faces so I was clueless as to what was really going on. The silence made me worry even more.

"Okay, so I'm gonna have you admitted into the hospital under strict bed rest," Leila finally said after a long while of going over charts and looking at screen printouts. "My guess was right, placenta previa and it is very dangerous for both you and the children."

"What?" I asked, alarmed by her sudden announcement. "I still have at least another four weeks before you said they were due though," I told her, worry clearly apparent as the heart monitor started beeping loudly.

"Calm down Sera. I'm begging you. We're only doing this as a precaution since we can't control the bleeding because you keep putting the babies under too much stress. If this continues, you could very well lose them this time," explained Leila with a solemn look on her face. Tears began welling up in my eyes as she mouthed a quick 'I'm sorry' to me and squeezed my hand before turning back talk with the nurse.

"Where is everyone?" I asked, interrupting their brief discussion. She turned and looked alarmed, before telling the nurse to leave first.

"They're all outside waiting for you. I'm actually going out there to update them on your condition. Did you want me to walk them back?" asked Leila before placing a warm blanket around me since she noticed me shivering slightly.

"I just want to see Mina and Brandon," I told her, closing my eyes to rest a bit.

"Okay," I heard her reply before leaving me to get some sleep while she went to talk to the others and give them a run down of things.

– E.R. lobby –

"How long has she been in there?" asked Jeff, pacing back and forth impatiently.

"That's not going to fix things idiot," Mina spat, annoyed at watching him run a hole into the floor walking to and from the door to peer through the window slots.

"Perhaps you should get a drink at the cafeteria?" suggested Sato as he continued playing with Brandon, who was busy trying to grab the toy from his raised hand.

"Sorry that took so long," apologized Leila all of a sudden, startling the group since they were too preoccupied talking to even notice her come out the doors.

"How is she?" asked Jeff, springing forward and standing beside her anxiously.

"She's fine. I'm having her admitted as a precaution so we can keep an eye on her and the babies since she's bleeding quite a bit," explained Leila, taking a deep breath and preparing herself for the onslaught of questions.

"What bleeding?" Jeff questioned the moment she finished talking.

"Shut up and let her tell us!" snapped Mina, both irritated and worried.

"Will Sera be okay?" inquired Sato nervously as he held onto Brandon tightly to comfort the toddler as he started sensing a negative aura amongst the adults.

"Right now, it's under control. I'm going to say this only once. Under no circumstances are any of you to further upset my patient. This is crucial for the babies. Is that clear?" Leila told them in a firm tone, glaring at Jeff to emphasize her point.

"Wait, what do you mean crucial? It sounds like they might not make it," interrupted Mina, realization finally dawning upon her.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," replied Leila sternly. "Placenta Previa is a condition where the placenta sits low in the uterus and actually covers all or part of the cervix. This of course actually will be a complication during labor, which is why I'm placing her on bed rest so we can try to get the placenta repositioned with the fetuses," she finished. "Now if you'll excuse me. I need you to fill out these papers so we can have her moved to a permanent room," she added, swatting Jeff with a clipboard before walking off.

"Can we go see her?" asked Mina, following after Leila as she left.

"You and Brandon may. You two, however, cannot," answered Leila, pointing at Jeff and Sato. Mina didn't bother to question her response, but instead, swooped down and picked Brandon up before trailing after Leila as she held the door open for them.

– Sera –

"Sera?" I heard a voice call out from the hall before the door swung open slowly. Mina popped her head around the door and looked over at me worriedly.

"Hey," I greeted her, trying to force a smile as I signaled for her to come in.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, opening the door further to reveal Brandon propped on her hips. She entered and shut the door behind her quietly before placing Brandon on the bed beside me. I reached over and kissed my son as he wrapped his tiny little arms around my neck and nestled his head in the nook between my neck and shoulder.

"Hi baby," I whispered, squeezing him in my arms tightly as he started whimpering quietly. I felt so bad for the little guy he was probably so disoriented with everything that just happened. "Mommy is sorry baby," I told him, pulling him away to look at him and let him know that I was okay.

"He's just worried bout you and the twins," Mina said, sitting down in the chair beside my bed. She smiled before taking my hand in hers firmly. "I'm sorry," she whispered as I shook my head to let her know it wasn't her fault.

"Mi.. Bies!" Brandon cried out as he placed both hands on my stomach and put his ear on it to listen to my stomach. [A.N. it's pronounced like the ending of mommy and babies, in case you thought I was retarded and couldn't spell]

Mina and I couldn't help but laugh at his affection towards the twins. Over the last few months, Brandon had finally opened up to the idea of being a big brother so he was especially eager to interact with the babies any chance he could.

"That's right hunnie. Babies," I told him, watching him move his hands around my stomach to get a feel of the twins' movement.

"Min.. Bies!" Brandon squealed, hollering at Mina and pointing at my stomach when he felt one of the twins kick in response. [A.N. Brandon says Min because Sera calls Mina "Minz" all the time so he picked it up from listening to her]

"Where are the guys?" I asked while running my hand through Brandon's soft tresses. I hadn't thought about what I was going to do just yet, but I'm sure they were dying of worry outside since Leila hadn't let them come back with Mina to visit me.

"They're outside in the lobby waiting. Why wouldn't Leila let them come back?" Mina asked curiously after answering my own first.

"I just don't want to be bothered with it right now. Too tired for all that ruckus to go on, it'll only upset me even more," I told her before sighing.

"I know, but Jeff desperately wants to talk to you," said Mina. "And I believe that he's truly sorry for everything too," she added earnestly.

"Solaris is just as stubborn as I am Mina," I said immediately after she finished, but stopped and turned to look at her. "What did you call him?" I asked, wondering if I had heard her correctly or not. Perhaps all the stress was getting to my head after all.

"Jeff…" Mina said quietly as my hand flew up to cover my mouth and I gasped in response. She only nodded to confirm that I wasn't delusional.

"How did that happen?" I asked quickly, curious as to when my husband had returned to normal. Sudden clips of moments that had taken place earlier came rushing back to me as I recalled him telling me all this as I struggled to get away from him. "Oh God," I groaned in despair as I thought of what my reaction probably looked like.

"Don't even think anything of it. I know Jeff understands the state of mind you were in, so just forget whatever it is you are thinking young lady," interrupted Mina, shaking her finger at me in warning. "You should at least talk to him, he's making himself sick with worry," she said, squeezing my hand gently.

"I know… It wouldn't be fair to him or me if I didn't hear him out at least," I finally said after I noticed my son pouting at me. I couldn't help but smile as I reached over and laid him down beside me, letting him snuggle up in between me and wrap his tiny arms around my stomach so he could hug the twins.

"That is like the sweetest sight ever," laughed Mina. She flipped out her cell and snapped a quick photo right before he hid his face in the sheets. About fifteen minutes later, a nurse and two technicians came in to start help transport me to a private room.

"Can you let the guys know which room I'm going to be in?" I asked Mina right before they pushed the bed out of the room.

"Yeah, we'll be up after I talk to Leila," Mina called out just as the doors shut. It was about another half hour before she and the guys showed up in my room. "Hey mama," said Mina, bending down to brush my bangs away when I opened my eyes. I didn't even know I had fallen asleep while she was gone.

"Are you feeling okay Sera?" asked Sato, ringing his hands uncomfortably. I could tell he was as nervous as ever with everything that had gone wrong today.

"I'm fine thanks. Did you call Keiko?" I asked, changing topics when I thought back to the scene we left at the bookstore. "Please tell her that I'm terribly sorry and we can have the whole thing re-scheduled after I have the twins," I added as soon as I saw the look on his face when I mentioned Keiko's name.

"I called her as soon as you were taken back to the emergency room. She said that she would handle everything and to wish you well," replied Sato quietly.

"Oh, okay. Thanks," I responded, taken back that he had gotten everything settled so quickly. 'Or did he? How long have I been here anyways?' I wondered, looking around for a clock, but finding none. "What time is it you guys?" I asked curiously.

"Almost 5 o'clock," Leila's said as she came through the door.

"Seriously Leila, you need to quit sneaking up on us like that," stated Mina after nearly jumping out of her seat at hearing Leila's voice so suddenly

"Well excuse me," retorted Leila, coming over to check on me. "Maybe you guys should be more alert," she added while checking the monitors. "Are you feeling any better?" she asked, flipping through my chart and writing down the numbers from the screen.

"Do you guys have to come in and record that stuff all the time?" I asked, frowning at the thought of having someone come and go throughout the day.

"Just until I'm sure that you've completely settled into a calm state," replied Leila as she shut the chart and clipped it back onto the end of my hospital bed. "So you might as well just sit back and relax or I'll have the nurses come twice as much," she suggested warningly.

"What exactly is going to happen? I can't very well sit in bed for the next month or so," I said, dreading the thought of being on complete bed rest. There was no way the babies would drop if I wasn't able to walk around.

"I already know what you're thinking. Don't worry. I'm not restricting complete activity, just the strenuous stuff," answered Leila before I could even ask. "As long as you have someone with you at all times, you can walk around the maternity ward once or twice a day to get the twins to drop into position," she added before looking between Mina and Jeff. "So who is staying with you overnight?" she asked cautiously, hoping they had settled things.

"Uhm…" replied Mina, looking back and forth between Sera and Jeff, not sure of how to answer. "I actually have to run back to Sera's place to get Brandon's things since I'm taking him home with me!" she said, conjuring up an excuse to get away from the situation.

"You're taking Brandon home with you?" I asked, shocked that she would even volunteer to watch my 17 month old son. "Are you sure you can handle him Minz?" I asked a little worried because I knew she has never had him over night with no one else around.

"Of course I can! How hard could it be?" answered Mina, laughing nervously.

"No, maybe you should call up one of the girls. I'll feel more at ease if I know someone is with you just in case something happens," I started, shaking my head at her idea.

"She's right Mina, you can't handle Brandon all by yourself," Jeff said, finally speaking up after just standing there like a deer in headlights.

"How would you know? You haven't been around for the past half year," I said, annoyed by his sudden interruption. Leila looked down at me when she saw the sudden spike in my heart rate and tugged on my sleeve in warning. I took a deep breath and turned the other way to calm myself before I said anything else that might further upset me.

"Can I have a moment alone with my wife please everyone?" asked Jeff quietly. Mina and Sato immediately stood up from their seats and bolted out the door as soon as he finished while Leila lingered behind a bit. "Don't worry. I'll make sure she doesn't over exert herself Leila. I just need a minute," he told her after noticing her apprehension.

"Okay, I'll be at the nurse's station if you need anything Sera," Leila told me before grabbing her clipboard and heading towards the door. I close my eyes and took a deep breath, counting to ten as the door shut behind Leila and I was left alone to face my husband.

~*A.N.*~

Okay, I had to cut this part because it was just getting too ridiculously long. Hopefully I can finish in the next part.. If not, then perhaps I will drag this ending out longer than I had intended. In any case, hope you all enjoyed. R & R please!


	23. Twenty Finale

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*SuN-MoOn-ChiLd*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A.N. Okay, hopefully this will be the last and final update for NTB.

It's been quite the journey but I'm glad it's over now. R & R please!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*SuN-MoOn-ChiLd*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

– Recap [Sera] –

"How would you know? You haven't been around for the past half year," I said, annoyed by his sudden interruption. Leila looked down at me when she saw the sudden spike in my heart rate and tugged on my sleeve in warning. I took a deep breath and turned the other way to calm myself before I said anything else that might further upset me.

"Can I have a moment alone with my wife please everyone?" asked Jeff quietly. Mina and Sato immediately stood up from their seats and bolted out the door as soon as he finished while Leila lingered behind a bit. "Don't worry. I'll make sure she doesn't over exert herself Leila. I just need a minute," he told her after noticing her apprehension.

"Okay, I'll be at the nurse's station if you need anything Sera," Leila told me before grabbing her clipboard and heading towards the door. I close my eyes and took a deep breath, counting to ten as the door shut behind Leila and I was left alone to face my husband.

~*Part IV – Finale*~

– Presently –

"Hunnie…" Jeff started but hesitated when I turned my head towards the window.

"Don't talk Jeff. Let me say what I need to say first and then you can talk for however long you want," I interrupted him before he could pick up where he had left off.

"That's fair," replied Jeff, backing away to let me continue.

"I don't know what sudden miracle occurred for you to have recovered your memory, but I'll be damned if I just let you waltz right back into my life and Brandon's without a care in the world," I snapped. "Do you know how hard it was on Brandon? He looked for you every day until one day, he realized that you weren't coming home," I told him, tears welling up in my eyes as I thought back to those days. "And when I found out I was pregnant after you left us, it made things even worse." I paused momentarily to steady my breathing. "It's been so hard dealing with everything and the thought that you might not ever come back to us," I finished in barely an audible whisper as the tears fell freely now.

"I'm so sorry," said Jeff, sounding so sincere that I couldn't help but break into sobs as he enveloped me in his arms and held me tightly. "I know that doesn't fix things, but I have and will always love you. Don't ever think otherwise." He placed a light kiss on the top of my head before pulling away and lifting my chin up. "I will make this up to you," he said, looking me in the eyes as he held my hands firmly in his.

"I love you too," I said in return, squeezing his hand in response. Suddenly the twins kicked hard, literally knocking the wind out of me as I gasped in surprise.

"What's wrong?" Jeff asked worriedly. I took his hand and placed it on my stomach where they had last kicked me and he lurched back in shock. "Are they okay?" he asked, looking at me as his hands instinctively reached for the nurse control.

"I'm fine," I told him, taking his finger off the call button. "They're just reacting to your presence," I added, smiling as he rubbed my stomach lovingly.

"I'll be around much more now, so get used to it," Jeff whispered into my stomach causing me to laugh at his silly antics.

"Oh thank God!" cried Mina from the doorway, startling us.

"Hey Mina," I said, wiping the tears from my eyes as I smiled at her and saw Brandon smiling widely at both Jeff and I. Mina came over and handed him to Jeff before winking at me as she left again to give our family some much needed alone time.

"Oh, and by the way. I called and let everyone know you were here," Mina called out before shutting the door behind her. I could only shake my head in reaction. Within half an hour, everyone would be piling in here to check on me and I could kiss the silence good bye.

"It'll be okay. You just rest, I'll take care of the wild pack," laughed Jeff, kissing me on the temple as I lay back down and closed my eyes sleepily.

– POV change –

So Sera fell asleep, and like she had predicted, the entire gang had shown up at the hospital in a wild frenzy. Leila had to intervene and set some ground rules for everyone. If they were to insist on seeing Sera at the same time, then they had to be gentle and stay calm. After that, they all sat around one of the tables in the cafeteria and talked amongst themselves while they waited for Sera to wake up. It wasn't until two hours later that a nurse had come down to inform them that Sera had woken up and was okay to have visitors

– Sera –

"Hey guys," I greeted everyone sheepishly as they stared at me. The aura in the room was so eerie that I could help but look around awkwardly.

"I was worried sick about you!" Lena finally cried out, leaping forward and wrapping her arms around me in a death grip. I looked to Jeff for help when she started to cut my circulation off. "Oh my God!" she said after I started choking for air and Jeff yanked her away from me roughly. "Sorry," she mouthed while I was coughing.

"You guys need to control yourselves around her," Jeff warned everyone while glaring at Lena unhappily. "You most of all," he added sternly.

"You're scaring them Jeff. It's not like I have a terminal disease or something," I said, laughing to lighten to mood. 'Damn, hard crowd,' I thought when nobody budged. "Okay, if you guys are going to be all hum drum, then I'm going to have to ask you to leave," I told them, crossing my arms in a huff.

"Sorry Sera. We're just all a little apprehensive and unsure of how to act," apologized Nick, coming up and hugging me. "It's been a while hasn't it? I'm still in shock to hear about the twins," he said quietly to me, kissing me on the cheek when he pulled away.

"Aww, group hug!" cried Nina as she pulled all the girls with her and they all crowded around my bed sniffing and laughing as we held one another.

"You guys are such saps," complained Justin as they girls all pulled away and turned to glare at him. "How are you feeling Sera?"

"Fat," I said, laughing as I rubbed my stomach, feeling the twins move around because of all the noise around them. I could tell they were getting excited by all the voices filling the room. The house was never this loud so they weren't accustomed to such an atmosphere.

"So do they know how long they're making you stay here?" asked Amy curiously, looking back at the monitors before flipping through my charts. I couldn't help but laugh, Amy was always in doctor mode whether or not she was working.

"Until she has the babies," announced Jeff, laying his hand on my shoulder, his fingers rubbing back and forth making my eyes droopy.

"Stop that," I complained, trying to fight the drowsiness off.

"Wow, it's already 9 o'clock. Maybe we should come back tomorrow," Lita said, looking up from her watch. "I need to get back to the café anyways. Are you craving anything? I can bring something on my way down here tomorrow," she offered, giving me a quick hug.

"Yes, I'm dying for some of your lemon raspberry cheesecake!" I squealed in delight, mouth watering at the thought of her delectable dessert. Everyone burst out laughing at my comment right at that moment, earning a glare from me.

"Sorry, couldn't help it. I'll bring you a slice for lunch. Anything else?" she said, wiping the tears from her eyes from laughing so hard.

"Yes, bring her something healthy," Jeff added, shaking his head at my request. "Lay off the sweets hunnie. You'll have hyperglycemia again, remember what happened last time?" he warned, reminding me of the diabetes scare back during our college days.

"Kill joy," I mumbled, pouting in response.

"How about having a nice walnut chicken salad sandwich before the cheesecake then sweetie?" Lita suggested, smiling as she grabbed her bag and left.

"That's fine. Thanks Leets. See you tomorrow," I replied, waving at her.

"I think I'm going to head off too. I kind of dropped everything and rushed over here when Mina called," Raye said, an alert on her blackberry chiming.

"Okay guys, go home already. Come visit me when you're not busy. I'll be here for quite some time apparently," I laughed, shooing them all out the door.

One by one, everyone said good night and headed back to Tokyo, leaving Jeff and me alone in the hospital room. Amy had agreed to help Mina look after Brandon while Jeff stayed overnight with me. Leila had gotten one the technicians to wheel in a fold-out bed and some blankets so Jeff could sleep more comfortably since she had threatened to beat him if he tried sleeping in the same bed as me. I couldn't help but die of laughter, cramping up slightly in between laughs as I saw my husband cower in fear from my OB/GYN.

In any case, the first week trudged by slowly, driving me literally insane. It seemed as if my stomach had tripled in size with every day. Jeff would bring Brandon to the hospital and the three of us would walk around so I could get some exercise and let the babies drop. Before you knew it, a whole month had passed by and I was already dilating.

"God, these kids just don't want to come out already!" I yelled in frustration. Carrying them around had become harder and harder, so I couldn't walk as much anymore half way into the second week. Jeff could only laugh as he continued rubbing my back, which hurt like no other I might add.

"Calm down baby, they'll come when they're good and ready," laughed Jeff, wrapping his arms around my waist and giving me a light squeeze.

"I know, but it just scares me that things could go completely wrong and we could lose them. They're so helpless in this state and I'm a nervous wreck," I whined, leaning back to rest my head on his chest, sniffling as I started to tear up.

"Bies!" cried Brandon, poking me in the stomach all of a sudden.

"Owwie," I feigned as Brandon yanked his hand back and look at me scared. "Oh baby, mommy was just pretending. Don't cry," I explained before pulling him in for a hug as I wiped the tears from his face.

"It's okay kiddo," laughed Jeff, tousling Brandon's hair around jokingly.

"Wi.. Mi.." Brandon managed to get out in between sniffling as he rubbed his eyes sadly. Jeff looked at me confused, not understanding Brandon's baby lingo.

"Sorry mommy," I told Jeff, rolling my eyes at my clueless husband. I suppose all fathers like that though. Complete unaware of how they're children are progressing cognitively.

"How do you get that from that?" asked Jeff in wonderment.

"Magic hunnie, it's called mommy magic," I said, laughing as Jeff nudged me playfully in response. Amidst all the laughing, I felt a quick pain shoot down my abdomen that literally made me hold my breath and cringe.

"Mi?" Brandon called out as he leaned over and looked at my face worriedly.

"It's okay," I whispered through clenched teeth as the pains got worse. "Jeff," I gasped, placing a hand on my stomach as I tried to sit up and reposition myself.

"What's wrong?" Jeff asked, slowly sliding out from behind me and grabbing the nurse's remote to call for someone. "Are you in pain?" he asked, pushing on the button quickly.

"Get him out of here," I manage to say in a calm voice even though I felt like my insides were ripping me apart. Tears were brimming over my eyes as I bit my lip and gripped the sheets hard to keep from screaming.

"I'll be right back," said Jeff, picking Brandon up quickly and heading outside just as a nurse came flying through the door. I saw the door shut before my eyes rolled backward and I let out a loud agonizing scream as the contractions wracked my body.

– POV Change –

Jeff placed Brandon in the care of a nurse and rushed back to Sera's room as quickly as he could only to be stopped by a nurse outside the door.

"I need to be with my wife," said Jeff frantically, trying to walk around the lady.

"Sorry Mr. Timmons, we're having a bit of an emergency so you'll have to step aside and let us do our job," explained the nurse calmly. "If you'll have a seat, I'll inform you the moment Dr. Jenkins shows up." Inside, the nurses had checked all the vitals for both fetuses and Sera while they waited for Leila to arrive at the hospital.

"Lena?" said Jeff, voice trembling horribly.

"What's wrong Jeff?" asked Lena over the phone worriedly. "Is everything okay?" she asked when he didn't respond.

"No… I think Sera might be in labor, or something," answered Jeff, running a hand through his disheveled hair as anxiety ate away at him.

"Oh my God," gasped Lena in response. "We'll be over there as soon as we can," she told him quickly before hanging up.

"Jeff?" called out Leila as she came rushing down the hallway towards Sera's room.

"Oh thank God you're here Leila. I don't know what's going on and they won't let me in there!" exclaimed Jeff exasperatedly.

"Calm down. Why don't you go check up on Brandon, he seemed pretty upset when I walked by the nurse's station just now," suggested Leila before entering the room, filling the hallway with Sera's loud screams. Jeff paced to and from impatiently for a bit before walking back to get Brandon before he started crying from hearing his mother screaming.

Once inside, Leila went straight to check on Sera's condition. She had already dilated 7 centimeters, but the cervix seemed to still be partially covered by the placenta, which still posed a great risk. Leila gave out instructions to have an operating room on stand by just in case they needed to do an emergency c-section if things didn't change before Sera was fully dilated.

– Sera –

"Okay, we went over this several times during our appointments this past year. You can do this. Just breathe calmly so the babies won't be distressed," said Leila, firmly grabbing hold of my hands as she reminded me of the breathing techniques.

"I can't…" I gasped tiredly. Sweat was beading down my face and I was exhausted from trying to hold back my gut wrenching screams, not that it was helping much. "Where's Jeff?" I asked in between breaths. I could feel myself beginning to wheeze from the overexertion.

"He's outside with Brandon. Mina was already on her way up here, so he'll be in as soon as she gets here to look after Brandon," replied Leila reassuringly. Just then, the door creaked open and Jeff came rushing through frantically. "Okay, never mind then. I guess that means she's already here." Jeff quickly took her place beside me and Leila just laughed and shook her head in response being used to fathers like him.

"Are you okay hunnie?" asked Jeff worriedly, grabbing hold of my hands as he brushed my bangs aside to get a better look at me. I clenched his hand as another contraction hit me and he winced in pain. "Oh good lord, is that normal?!" he cried in alarm.

"Pretty much," laughed Leila, checking the screen to time my contraction. "You're lucky you missed out on this the first time around," she snickered, thinking back to when Brandon was first born. "But then again, from the looks of things, we might have a repeat of that," she added, taking a seat in front of me to check how far I had dilated.

"What?" Jeff asked, already freaking out.

"Jeff, stop. I'm already freaking out enough for both of us," I managed to get out tiredly. He turned and looked at me apologetically. "It'll be okay," I reassured him.

"Why are you so gung ho on having them naturally again Sera?" asked Leila, tossing her latex gloves into the bio-hazard bin.

"Because I hear it's a wonderful things and I want to experience it for myself," I told her, taking a deep breath as the contraction stopped.

"I know how you feel, but think about the difficulties we're already experiencing. What if things don't pan out the way we plan?" Leila asked her eyes full of concern.

"I know, but I want to at least try to have my children naturally," I refuted, closing my eyes to rest for a bit since it seemed like the contractions had paused momentarily.

"I guess there really is no arguing with you at this point. I'm going to get the nurse, your water broke like five minutes ago and you just reached 10 centimeters," Leila told me before leaving the two of us alone in my room.

"How are you feeling?" asked Jeff, kissing my forehead as he wiped some sweat away for me. "I wish I could be of more help," he mumbled helplessly.

"Your only job is to stay here and hold my hand," I replied quietly, enjoying the tiny break my children were giving me for once since my contractions started half an hour ago.

"Sera!" cried Lena as she burst through the room in a tearful fit all of a sudden, startling me out of my restful state. "We came as quickly as we heard. How are you feeling?" she asked frantically, looking at me like a mad woman.

"Lena!" scolded Jeff, grabbing hold of Lena before she could latch herself onto me. "Get a grip would ya. You're freaking her out," he reprimanded.

"Sorry, can't help it. I was just so worried when they called," Lena rambled on nervously. Jeff pushed her down into a chair nearby and I quirked my eyebrow at her.

"You okay over there?" I asked while trying to contain my laughter.

"That's not funny. They told me it was an emergency, so I dropped everything and dragged Nick out of his shower and rushed over here!" replied Lena, pouting at me.

"Sorry sweetie. I had no idea they had even called you guys. It's been quite the scene around here as you can see," I apologized, explaining the situation.

"Hey Lena, when did you get here?" asked Leila as she came in with a nurse and what looked like my epidural, making me cringe at the sight of the gigantic needle. "Are you ready?" she asked, noticing my look of hesitation.

"I'm not too keen of needles," I muttered, pointing at the tray the nurse was holding. Jeff came over and squeezed my shoulder gently when I started tearing up slightly. "Do we have to do this?" Inside I was hoping she would tell me that I wouldn't need the epidural.

"I'm just trying to make this as painless as possible for you," answered Leila, brushing away some of my stray bangs. "Trust me, you'll thank me later," she added.

"Okay, if you're going to be doing then I need to get out of here," interrupted Lena as she hurried towards the door. "Call me when you're through," she whispered, waving at me before closing the door behind her.

"This bites," I grumbled, flipping over onto my side so the nurse could administer the epidural while I held onto Jeff's hand tightly. It took less than five minutes to find the spot and get everything over with. "I'm never going through this ever again." After it was all over, I was instructed to lye on my side to ease the pain.

"You never know," teased Leila, rubbing the sore spot on my back gently.

"Oh I Mean it. We're done after this. Brandon and the twins is all I can handle," I stated firmly, glaring at Jeff in the process.

"It takes two to tango sweetheart," laughed Jeff, leaning over to peck me on the lips as I swatted him away grumpily. Just then the door creaked open and in trotted the girls one by one with little smiles on their giddy faces.

"What are you all smiling about?" I asked, still grouchy from being pricked by a gargantuan needle and the contractions the seemed to have started up again almost immediately after the epidural had gone through my system.

"Geez, somebody sure is cranky," mumbled Raye as the girls all huddle around me. I glared at Raye, igniting a round of laughter throughout the room. "Just kidding," she whispered, winking as she leaned over to hug me.

"I'll give you guys fifteen minutes to chit chat for a bit. She still has some time before the real contractions hit," Leila spoke up over everyone.

"What do you mean the real contractions?" I asked her with an incredulous look on my face. Surely she must be joking. I felt like my insides were ripping in half. How much more pain can a person feel?

"You're just now entering the final stages of labor dear. Be glad it only lasted an hour and not half a day like most women," explained Leila before leaving us once again.

"You've got to be freaking kidding me!" I snapped, huffing in response.

"Calm down hunnie. It'll be okay, you've done well so far," commented Jeff, wrapping his arms around me and kissing my temple gently.

"I just want this over with," I mumbled, tears starting to make their way down my face. Sure it looked like I was taking this well, but I have been biting my lip to hide the pain so they wouldn't worry and make such a big deal out of everything. "Where's Brandon?" I asked, finally noticing that my son was missing amongst the group.

"Outside with Lena and the girls," answered Amy, who was standing by the door.

"Can I see him for a bit?" I asked tiredly. I felt so horrible that I just wanted to hold my son and feel his little pudgy hands on my face because he always brought a smile to my face.

"I'll go," replied Amy when she saw Jeff head for the door and left before he could say anything to stop her.

"Mi?" I heard a tiny voice call out from the doorway. Looking up I saw my baby boy in Amy's arms with tears in his eyes as he looked around for me.

"Hi baby," I called out as the girls moved aside so he could get a better view of me. When our eyes connected, a huge smile broke out on his face and I couldn't help but laugh as he yelped and almost jumped out of Amy's arms.

"Mi!!" Brandon called out again as Amy came closer to the bed. She handed him to Jeff who held onto him tightly so he wouldn't pound on me.

"Calm down squirt," said Jeff as Brandon squirmed in his arms and reached out for me. I rolled my eyes at my husband's sat attempt to control our 18 month old son.

"You can set him down beside me. I'm sure he won't hurt the babies. Isn't that right sweetheart?" I told Jeff before turning to speak to my son, who nodded in response.

"Are you sure?" Jeff asked hesitatively. I shook my head and reached up to take Brandon from his arms but he finally relented and set my son down beside me.

"Did you miss mommy?" I asked Brandon as he quickly latched his tiny arms around my neck and hugged me, burying his face into the pillow. I smiled at him and placed a tiny kiss on his head before stroking his back to calm him down.

"Awww, that's so freaking cute!" squealed Mina. "Just wait, it'll be even cuter with all three of them doing this stuff," she added, more excited than the rest of us.

"Just a little bit longer girl," encouraged Lita from her place by the window. She was rearranging some flowers the girls had brought in for me. The girls stayed for a few minutes before leaving so the others could come see me before I went into active labor.

"Hey mama," greeted Nina as she came through the door with the Stacy and Lillian right behind her. "How are you feeling?" she asked quietly after noticing that Brandon was sound asleep in my arms.

"Ready to pop," I groaned in response. "Where's Lena?" I asked after not seeing her and the guys come in.

"She and Kaye are outside with the guys. Something about not being able to see you in this state or what not," replied Stacy with a shrug.

"I'll go get them," said Jeff, heading out to the hallway. Not a second later, he came right back with the rest of the group following suit. "I swear, you guys are like children sometimes," he mumbled before sitting down beside me again.

"Hey…" said Lena quietly, not looking up at me.

"Lena, stop doing that," I scolded my sister. The guys all came over and hugged me briefly, Nick lingering to place a kiss on the top of my head.

"Okay.. Okay.." Lena mumbled as she looked up and came over to hug me. I held onto her a bit longer when I felt her tense up. "I'm scared," I heard her mumble quietly.

"I'll be fine," I replied reassuringly. I had almost forgotten about the circumstanced until she had voiced her fears and for a slight second, I felt my certainty waiver. Shaking my head, I looked up at her and forced a believable smile.

"I know I shouldn't be thinking so negative, but I can't help it," admitted Lena, sniffling as she sat down on the edge of my bed and grabbed my hands.

"Stop being such a worry wart," teased Justin, trying to lighten to mood.

"Behave guys," I whispered before I felt a small pang at the side of my stomach. I flinched and grabbed my side quickly, causing Jeff to jump from his seat when the monitors beeped loudly. Everyone paused and looked at me nervously as I tried to breathe. "It's okay, just a contraction," I explained, exhaling the breath I had forgotten I was holding.

"Okay guys, I'm gonna need the room cleared now," interrupted Leila from the doorway. Everyone nodded and started filing out quickly. Lena squeezed my hand tightly one last time before Kaye pulled her out of the room. A nurse picked Brandon's sleeping form up and handed him to Nick as he followed Lena out.

"Just relax," I heard Jeff whisper as I felt the contractions come again. I closed my eyes and started the breathing techniques to keep myself calm so the babies wouldn't know how nervous I really was. Of course this was useless because my heart was already beating a mile a minute by now.

"Don't forget to breathe normally," instructed a nurse as she came up behind Jeff and pulled an oxygen cord out from the wall. "This should help," she added, wrapping the oxygen mask around my face and securing it behind my ears.

"Looks like we have a minute or two in between contractions," noted Leila as she looked at the monitor and then sat down in front of my bed. "You're fully dilated now and the placenta seems to have moved up a bit more, so lets cross our fingers and hope that it clears the cervix before these kids come," she told me, patting my leg to calm my nerves.

For some reason unknown to me, it took a full ten minutes before I felt the need to push. And let me tell you, it felt like I was being ripped in half, literally. Leila and the nurses kept a close eye on the location of the placenta in between my pushes and miraculously, it had cleared my cervix almost completely by the time I started to crown.

– Half an hour later –

"One more push, you're doing great," encouraged Leila as she looked up at me as I took a deep breath and pushed, squeezing Jeff's hand as the excruciating pain tore at me. "Baby girl," she said after I finished and a loud wail erupted in the room. I took a few quick breaths as Leila handed the baby off to a nurse and turned back towards me.

"No, I can't…" I mumbled, gasping for air tiredly. My face was soaked with sweat and I could feel the veins in my temple throbbing like crazy. The whole room felt like it was spinning and I felt so nauseous at the moment.

"Just breathe hunnie. You can do this," Jeff told me, grabbing me hand and kissing my head as he wiped the tears from my eyes. I nodded and took a few more breaths before I got ready to push again. It took another fives minutes before the baby's head crowned. "You're going great." Jeff wiped the sweat from my brow and patted my hand as I let out another ear-shattering scream and I pushed with all my might.

"Good, almost there. Last push," instructed Leila. "Baby boy," she announced shortly after I was done. Just then, a nurse rushed to her side and the two turned away from both Jeff and I abruptly. I was so disoriented and still trying to catch my breath that I hadn't realized that my baby had not cried yet.

"What's wrong?" I asked, squeezing Jeff's hand as I held my breath and watched Leila and the nurse check my newborn.

"He's not breathing," explained Leila, taking a utensil clearing the fluids out of my baby's nostrils. "Page Shields, quickly," she instructed the nurse who had just finished cleaning my baby girl and wrapping her in a blanket.

"On it," answered the nurse, handing the baby over to Jeff before bolting out the room. Not a minute later, Darien came rushing through the doors.

"Situation?" asked Darien before his eyes landed on me. I saw the expression on his face before he turned to Leila and the two discussed something quietly amongst themselves.

"Hush little one," Jeff whispered to the baby as she started to cry uncontrollably. I was in such a distraught state that I hadn't even asked to hold her yet.

"My baby," I whimpered, trying to get a view of what was going on as tears made their way down my face. 'What now?' I asked God, clenching my fists tightly as I laid back and turned my head away from the scene before me in defeat. Those few seconds went by in a blur and all I remember is hearing my baby girl crying while I prayed with all my heart that my little boy would join his sister's wails.

"All clear," announced Darien loud enough for me to turn back to see as my child move slightly in his hands and a soft noise came from him. "Good thinking," I heard Darien tell Leila as she smiled at me before examining him completely.

"He's okay," Leila reassured me before handing the baby over to the nurses to clean up and wrap him in a blanket for me. "How are you feeling?" she asked, turning back to check on me. She came back around the room and tended to the aftermath of my labor as both the nurses finished taking care of the twins.

"Can I hold them?" I asked breathlessly as sleep starting to win its battle against me as my eyes drooped slightly. The nurses came over and set both of the babies in my arms and turned to leave so that our family could get some privacy.

"We'll come back with the paperwork in a bit. Rest up for now, everything looks fine," announced Leila, washing her hands and smiling at Jeff and I. Darien came over and patted Jeff on the shoulder before placing a kiss on my forehead.

"Congrats Sere," whispered Darien before grabbing his clipboard and heading towards the door to follow the nurses out.

"Thank you so much Darien," I said loud enough for him to hear as he threw a hand up and waved before closing the door behind him. The twins moved and gurgled in my arms at that moment and I turned to look down at them in awe. "Hey there little one. You gave mommy quite the scare," I said, bending down and placing a soft kiss on my boy's head.

"What is it about our boys that give us such heartache?" asked Jeff exasperatedly as he rubbed our son's head gently. I could only shrug in response as I continued to stare at my two beautiful babies sleeping soundly on my chest.

"Must get it from their daddy," I retorted, laughing as Jeff nudged me.

"I love you," whispered Jeff, wrapping his arms tightly around me and the babies as I leaned my head on his chest and closed my eyes. I finally understood what they meant when they said it was a wonderful experience to hold your child in your arms after going through the difficulties of labor.

"I love you too," I whispered, leaning up to kiss him. "Want to hold them?" My arms starting to ache from the extra weight on them so I was eager to get a load off.

"I'll take her off your hands," replied Jeff eagerly. I almost started to ask him why he picked the girl out of the two but then it dawned on me. This was his first and only little girl, so of course he'd probably have some sort of attachment to her. It wasn't that Jeff didn't love Brandon or anything, but now he has two boys and only one girl. And we all know how all fathers are with their little girls, they spoil them rotten.

"Careful," I said after handing my little girl over to him gently. I place the boy on my lap and reached over for the nurse's remote to have them come help me clean up.

"Sorry to interrupt, but your friends are eager to see your little ones," announced a nurse through the cracked door, giving me a moment to compose myself before fully opening the door for everyone to come in.

"Oh my God, let me see!" cried Mina excitedly, shoving everyone out of the way and hurrying over to my side. "Oh, he's so tiny!" She reached over and touched my baby boy's little fingers. I could see her struggling to balance Brandon on her hip while trying to get a peek at my baby without letting Brandon grab onto anything.

"We heard about the little scare he gave you two. Glad he's okay now," said Nick, patting Jeff on the back lightly as he looked down and got a glimpse of our little girl.

"Oh, she's absolutely precious Jeff!" said Lena, peering over Nick's shoulders to look as well. "Wow, blonde hair and brown eyes, now that's a first in our family."

"I hadn't even noticed," I replied, turning to look into my daughter's eyes and finally noticed that she had her father's eye color and my blonde tresses.

"Well, at least the one has your eyes Sera," commented Mina. My little boy has a vice grip hold on her finger and was not letting go anytime soon it seemed. "Nice grip," she laughed, holding her finger up for everyone to see. He had dark brown hair with cerulean blue eyes, the complete opposite of her twin counterpart.

"Looks like you guys have a variety of gene assortment going on here," laughed Amy, earning a questioning look from Mina. "Oh never mind!" She quickly took Brandon from Mina's arms before he could launch himself at me when her grip on him loosened.

"In blonde terms please Amy!" chided Raye before everyone broke out into laughter and Mina glared at all of us. "She meant, they have a bit of everything from each parent dork," she explained, pointing at my three children.

"Mi!" cried my son, reaching his pudgy little hands out at me. I smiled tiredly and waved at him while Jeff shook his head and signaled for Brandon to stay put in Amy's arms.

"Hmm, good point," I commented. Brandon had sandy brown tresses and hazel colored eyes, which was a combination of both Jeff's parents and my own. The twins were the complete opposites of one another, one had blonde hair and brown eyes while the other had brown hair and blue eyes. It was like looking at mini versions of ourselves, only with different colored hair.

"Knock, knock," called out Leila as she came in with a nurse who was holding some clipboards with what looked like paperwork to fill out. "The nurse just needs to finish these files so we can have those birth certificates printed out for you."

"Have we thought of names yet?" asked the nurse, smiling at Jeff and I as she flipped through the charts and confirmed the tags on the twins.

"Have we?" asked Jeff uncertainly, turning to look down at me. I nodded and waved the nurse over towards my side so I could see which baby she was referring to.

"Are you going with the names you told us last time?" asked Raye curiously. At this point, everyone had quieted down and perked up to listen to the conversation.

"Yes and no, just a few slight changes here and there," I answered when the nurse showed me the blue file. "This little guy will be named Hayden Scott Timmons." I looked over at his bassinet and smiled when he squirmed underneath the nurse's touch. She wrote his name down on a tag and secured it around his ankle.

"And for daddy's little princess?" asked Mina, winking at Jeff when his face turned beet red at her comment. "We know how excited you are to have a little girl, don't pretend."

"I want to name her Kaylee, but I can't think of any middle names so I'm not sure anymore," I told Jeff, who was still holding onto the baby all this time. "Any ideas?" As soon as that was said, all hell broke loose. The guys were throwing out names left and right, while the girls yelled at them for coming up with retarded suggestions.

"Okay, if you're going to argue, then I don't want anybody's help!" I yelled, my voice rising over all the commotion going on. Even my little girl voiced her displeasure as she let out an earful for us all to hear. "It's okay little one, mommy os here." I took her from Jeff's arms and rocked her back and forth a little.

"Madison Kaylee Timmons." I looked up at my husband who had suddenly just thrown a name out there. Not that I had anything against it. It was a very cute name in all honesty. "You don't like it?" he asked, sounding more unsure of himself.

"No, I love it," I laughed in response. The nurse looked between the both of us and wrote down the name after a quick nod and repeated the same routine for out daughter that she had done with our son. I laid back and closed my eyes for a bit, enjoying the atmosphere around us.

"You should get some sleep, they can come visit you tomorrow, suggested Leila as she and the nurse headed towards the door. "Congrats again Sera," she added, smiling before waving at everyone and closing the door behind her.

"Yeah, we should probably let you rest," Nick said, grabbing Lena before she could reach for Kaylee. "We'll come back tomorrow," he added, pulling her out the door with the rest of the group after they had all said their goodbyes.

"I'll take Brandon home with me tonight. I know you two will be busy with the twins and all," Amy spoke up as soon as the door shut. I turned back, not realizing that I had dozed off for a bit and everyone had already left.

"Thanks Ames," I whispered, yawning as I fought to stay awake.

"Yeah, we appreciate it. Say bye to your baby brother and sister Brandon," said Jeff, taking Brandon from Amy's arms so he could sit beside the twins' bassinet and me.

"I'll see you tomorrow okay baby?" I told my son, squeezing him tightly before placing a kiss on the top of his head. He nodded and sniffed a bit before Amy picked him back up. "I love you." They both waved at us before the doors shut and they disappeared down the hallway.

Needless to say, I dozed off within a matter of minutes as Jeff watched over the twins. It had been quite the day for me and I was burnt out, not to mention I needed my rest so I could feed the twins after they awoke from their slumber.

"Thank you," said Jeff quietly after the nurses had taken the twins back to the nursery for the evening. I turned and looked at my husband, wondering what had gotten into him.

"For what silly?" I asked, smiling as he came over and sat on the bed.

"For coming into my life and giving me a wonderful family to love and look after," Jeff replied sincerely. I shook my head and looked up at him with tears in my eyes.

"Then I should thank you. For giving me a reason to go on," I replied, reaching up and pulling his face down to meet mine. "I love you." We exchanged a gentle kiss that was full of passion and all our pent up feelings for one another. At that point, I knew that I couldn't have wanted things to end any other way than how it did.

We stayed at the hospital for a week so Leila could run a few more tests on Hayden to make sure he was in tip top condition before releasing him from her charge. I was never so excited to leave a place in my life. I had been stuck in the hospital for an entire month that I almost forgot what it felt like to breathe in city air.

We returned to Tokyo where our house still sat waiting for us. My book had already sold thousands of copies by the time I had a repeat of the signing event and Keiko was as thrilled as ever when I mentioned the possibility of another. My family was complete, and we had our whole lives ahead of us. So what else is there to do now but to go on with life?

I had always thought that we went through a series of ups and downs for a reason, and there was no way to undo things once you chose a path to follow. Which is true, there is "no turning back" in life. And to be honest, I'm glad I didn't, because I don't think I could be any more content than I am.

~ A.N. ~

Okay people, that's all for NTB. It took a while, but I'm glad it's over. There weren't many reviews, so I didn't really have any motivation to put my all into it as I did with my other stories. I do appreciate those few who have given me words of encouragement. It's just taken me so long because things keep popping up in my life, so I do apologize for the delay. I hope you enjoyed the ending. Now I can get back to writing the ending for 'Finding the Strength within Her' and re-write the few chapters that I started on for 'Mrs. Winner'. Ja!


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